SOUTHERN  BRANCH, 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA, 

LIBRARY, 

4-DS  ANG-2LES,  CALIF. 


How  to  Make  Baskets 


GRAIN  PLAQUES— Of  the  Hopi,  Apache,  Havasupai  and  Pima  Indians,  from 
New  Mexico  and  Arizona.  PIMA  SCRAP  BASKET— Arrow-head  design,  avow, 
edly  adapted  to  white  men's  needs.  RARE  DOUBLE-WEAVE  CHOCTAW 
COVERED  BASKET— From  Louisiana.  PAIUTE  GUMMED  WICKER 
WATER-JAR— The  handles  of  braided  horsehair.  HOPI  COILED  YUCCA 
TREASURE  BASKET— At  the  top  of  plate  are  strips  of  sisal  willow  and  the 
•eed-vessel  of  the  Martynia,  or  "  Cat  Claws,"  from  which  most  of  the  water-tight 
baskets  in  the  Southwest  are  made. 


How  to  Make  Baskets 


By  MARY  WHITE 


i 


WITH  A  CHAPTER  ON   WHAT  THE  BASKET  MEANS 
TO  THE  INDIAN,"  BY  NELTJE  BLANCHAN 


GARDEN  CITY       NEW  YORK 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  &  COMPANY 

1915 


COPYRIGHT,  1901,  BT 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  &  COMPANY 

September,  1901 

July,  1901 


T  S 

\  o 


W 


TO 

A.D.  T. 


PREFACE 

THE  twisting  and  weaving  of  Nature's  materials, 
grasses,  twigs,  rushes  and  vines,  into  useful  and 
beautiful  forms  seems  almost  instinctive  in  man. 
Perhaps  it  came  to  him  as  the  nest-weaving  instinct 
comes  to  birds — for  at  first  he  used  it  as  they  do, 
in  the  building  of  his  house.  Later,  shields  and 
boats  were  formed  of  wicker  work,  but  how  long  ago 
the  first  basket  was  made  no  one  is  wise  enough 
to  tell  us.  To-day  Indian  tribes  in  South  America 
weave  baskets  from  their  native  palms,  South 
African  negroes  use  reeds  and  roots,  while  the 
Chinese  and  Japanese  are  wonderful  workmen  in 
this  as  in  other  arts  and  industries;  but  basketry 
has  come  down  to  us  more  directly  through  the 
American  Indian.  Generations  of  these  weavers 
have  produced  masterpieces,  many  of  which  are 
preserved  in  our  museums,  and  the  young  basket 
maker  need  not  go  on  long  pilgrimages  to  study 
the  old  masters  of  his  craft.  Here  at  last,  as  in 
England,  the  value  of  manual  training  is  being 
realized,  and  basketry  is  taking  an  important  place; 


VI  PREFACE 

following  the  kindergarten  and  enabling  the  child 
to  apply  the  principles  he  has  learned  there.  He 
still  works  from  the  centre  out,  and  weaves  as  he 
wove  his  paper  mats,  but  permanent  materials  have 
replaced  the  perishable  ones,  and  what  he  makes 
has  an  actual  value. 

Basketry  also  fills  the  need  for  a  practical  home 
industry  for  children;  so  not  only  in  school,  club 
and  settlement,  but  on  home  piazzas  in  summer 
young  weavers  are  taking  their  first  lessons. 
Though  they  are  unlearned  in  woodcraft,  and  have 
not  the  magic  of  the  Indian  squaw  in  their  finger- 
tips, they  can,  and  do,  feel  the  fascination  of 
basketry  in  the  use  of  rattan,  rush  and  raffia.  It 
is  hoped  that  this  book  may  be  a  help  in  teaching 
them  "How  to  Make  Baskets." 


CONTENTS 

f*e, 

PREFACE         v 

CHAPTER  I 
MATERIALS,  TOOLS,  PREPARATION,  WEAVING      3 

CHAPTER  II 
RAFFIA  AND  SOME  OF  ITS  USES    .  .11 

CHAPTER  III 
MATS  AND  THEIR  BORDERS    .        .        .        .21 

"  CHAPTER  IV 
THE  SIMPLEST  BASKETS          .        .        .        -27 

CHAPTER  V 
COVERS  .        • 33 

CHAPTER  VI 
HANDLES        .......    51 

CHAPTER  VII 

WORK  BASKETS 65 

vii 


LIST  OF  FIGURES 

f»fe 

Fig.  i  Twist  of  Rattan  .....       4 

"     2  Under-and-Over  Weaving    ...       5 

"     3  Double   Weaving         ....       5 

"     4  Pairing         ......       6 

"     5  Triple  Twist        .....       7 

"6  .....        .        .        .13 

"7      ........     '4 

"8      ........     14 

"        g  ,  ......       22 

"     10        .......  .22 

"   ii  Joining   Weavers         .         .        .        .24 

"    12      ........     39 

"13      ........     6l 

"14      ........     6* 


"   16  ........  72 

"17  ........  76 

41   18  ........  77 

«•    19  Napkin  Ring       .....  78 

"     20  ........  96 

"21  ........  97 

"22  ........  98 

"  23  .        .        .        .....  "5 

"24  ......        .        .129 

"25  ........  132 

"26  ........  132 

"  27  .        .        .        .  '      .        .        •        .135 

"28  ........  *4° 

X 


LIST  OF  FIGURES             xl 

Page 

Fig.  29  . 

T4I 

"  30  . 

;\  «    142 

"31 

161 

"  32  . 

162 

"  33  • 

164 

"  34  • 

165 

"  35  • 

170 

"  36  . 

170 

ii 

":38  ! 

"  39  - 

172 

"  40  . 

•    172 

"  4i  . 

173 

"  42  . 

•    174 

"  43   • 

•    •    176 

"  44  • 

.    .    .....  176 

"  45  - 

.    .    .    .    .177 

"  46  . 

177 

"  47 

.  178 

Materials,  Tools,   Preparation, 
Weaving 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 
CHAPTER   I 

MATERIALS,    TOOLS,    PREPARATION,    WEAVING 

Materials. — We  shall  use  a  great  deal  of  rattan 
in  making  these  baskets.  It  is  a  kind  of  palm 
which  grows  in  the  forests  of  India,  twining  about 
the  trees  and  hanging  in  graceful  festoons  from  the 
branches,  sometimes  to  the  length  of  five  hundred 
feet,  it  is  said,  though  seldom  over  an  inch  in  diam- 
eter. It  comes  to  us  stripped  of  leaves  and  bark, 
and  split  into  round  or  flat  strips  of  various  sizes, 
which  are  numbered  by  the  manufacturer  from  i 
up  to  about  15,  No.  i  being  the  finest  as  well  as 
the  most  costly.  Rattan  can  be  bought  (usually 
in  five-pound  lots)  at  basket  factories  in  our  large 
cities.  Numbers  2,  3  and  4  are  the  best  sizes  for 
small  baskets  and  3,  5,  and  6  for  scrap  baskets. 
Raffia,  which  is  woven  into  small  baskets,  dolls' 
hats,  etc.,  comes  from  Madagascar.  It  is  a  pale 
yellow  material,  soft  and  pliable,  the  outer  cuticle 
of  a  palm,  and  can  be  bought  at  seed  stores  in 
3 


4  HOW   TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

hanks  of  about  a  pound  each.  Either  braided  and 
used  by  itself  or  woven  flat  on  rattan  spokes,  it  is 
easily  handled  by  very  young  children,  whose 
fingers  are  not  strong  enough  to  manage  rattan. 

The  flat  or  braided  rush  which  is  imported  by 
wholesale  basket  dealers  comes  in  natural  colors, 
dull  green  and  soft  wood-brown.  The  flat  rush  is 
sold  by  the  pound,  and  the  braided  in  bunches  of 
ten  metres  each.  Woven  on  rattan  spokes,  it 
makes  beautiful  baskets.  Braided  rush  is  a  good 
material  for  scrap  baskets,  while  the  flat,  being 


FIG.  i. — TWIST  OF  RATTAN 

finer,  is  successfully  woven  into  candy,  flower  and 
work  baskets.  The  leaves  of  our  own  cat-tail  fur- 
nish a  material  almost  as  pliable  and  quite  as 
attractive  in  color  as  the  imported  rush ;  in  fact, 
Nature's  storehouse  is  full  of  possibilities  to  the 
weaver  with  a  trained  eye  and  hand. 

Tools* — A  pair  of  strong,  sharp  shears,  a  yard- 
stick, and  a  deep  paper  pail  for  water  are  needed  at 
first,  and  later  a  short  steel  knitting-needle  about 


MATERIALS,    TOOLS,    PREPARATION  5 

the  size  of  No.  4  rattan,  and  a  sharp  knife.  Rub- 
ber finger  guards  for  the  right  forefinger  and 
thumb  will  be  found  almost  a  necessity  where 
much  weaving  is  done. 

In  raffia  work,  tapestry  or  worsted  needles,  No. 
19,  are  required. 


ir  ir 


FIG.  2. — UNDER-AND-OVER  WEAVING 

Preparation, — The  rattan,  as  it  comes  from  the 

manufacturer,  is  in  long  twists  or  skeins.     (See 

Fig.  r .)     It  should  be  drawn  out,  as  it  is  needed, 

from  the  loop  end;  otherwise  it  will  get  tangled 

JU. 


FIG.  3. — DOUBLE  WEAVING 

and  broken.  In  preparing  it,  the  spoke  or  heavy 
material  which  is  to  form  the  ribs  of  the  basket 
(and  which  should  be  at  least  two  numbers  coarser 
than  the  weaver,  except  in  small  baskets,  where  a 
difference  of  one  number  is  enough)  is  cut  into 


6  HOW   TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

lengths  of  the  required  number  of  inches.  The 
weaver  is  wound  into  circles  of  about  seven  inches 
in  diameter,  the  ends  being  twisted  in  and  out 
several  times  to  prevent  unwinding.  As  rattan  is 
very  brittle,  it  should  be  put  to  soak,  before  using, 
for  an  hour  in  cold  water,  or  fifteen  minutes  in  hot. 
Rush  will  not  need  to  soak  as  long,  and  raffia  will 
become  pliable  in  a  few  seconds. 

Weaving. — Under-and-over  weaving,  the  simp- 
lest form  of  all,  is  the  one  most  used. 

Double  weaving  is  done  in  the  same  way,  except 


FIG.  4. — PAIRING 

that  two  weavers  are  used  at  once.  This  is  an 
effective  weave  on  large  surfaces,  and  in  bands  or 
patterns  of  the  same  or  a  contrasting  color  on 
plain  rattan  baskets. 

Pairing  may  be  used  either  with  an  odd  or  even 
number  of  spokes.  Two  weavers  are  started 
behind  two  succeeding  spokes,  and  crossed  between 
them,  so  that  what  was  the  under  weaver  becomes 
the  upper  one  each  time. 

In  the  triple  twist,  three  weavers   are   placed 


MATERIALS,    TOOLS,    PREPARATION  / 

behind  three  consecutive  spokes  and  brought  in 
succession,  starting  with  the  back  one,  over  two 
and  under  one  spoke,  each  on  its  way  to  the  back 
of  the  third  spoke  being  laid  over  the  other  two 
weavers.  In  turning  up  the  sides  of  large  baskets 
where  separate  spokes  or  additional  spokes  have 


FIG.  5. — TRIPLE  TWIST 

been  inserted,  or  as  a  strong  top  for  scrap  baskets, 
this  weave  is  invaluable.  It  entirely  hides  the 
spokes  it  crosses,  and  therefore  is  often  used  to 
cover  places  where  broken  spokes  have  been 
replaced. 


Raffia  and  Some  of  It's  Uses 


and   ! 


CHAPTER  II 

RAFFIA    AND    SOME    OF    ITS    USES 

IT  is  a  rare  thing  to  find  a  material  at  once  so 
soft  and  so  strong  as  raffia ;  and  it  could  hardly  be 
better  fitted  for  the  work  of  children's  fingers  if  it 
was  made  for  the  purpose.  With  a  pound  or  two 
of  raffia  (there  is  about  as  much  as  this  in  one  of 
the  hanks  that  can  be  bought  at  seed  stores  or  of 
dealers  in  kindergarten  supplies),  a  paper  of  tapes- 
try needles,  a  pair  of  scissors,  and  several  flat 
sticks  about  a  yard  long  and  half  an  inch  wide,  you 
are  well  equipped.  Given  in  addition  to  these 
some  children  fresh  from  the  kindergarten  training 
of  eye  and  hand,  and  you  can  accomplish  wonders. 
Indeed,  so  many  charming  things  can  be  made 
from  one  of  the  great,  yellow  coils  of  raffia  that  it 
reminds  one  of  the  fairy  tale  in  which  the  little 
gnome  spun  a  roomful  of  straw  into  gold  for  the 
miller's  daughter. 

First  of  all,  the  children  may  braid  some  raffia, 
— we  will  use  so  much  of  it  in  this  form,  and  now, 
as  later  in  rattan  work,  it  is  well  for  them  to  learn 
ii 


12  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

to  prepare  the  materials  they  are  to  work  with. 
Three  single  strands  of  raffia  may  be  used  in 
braiding,  if  the  plait  is  to  be  very  fine ;  two  pieces 
of  the  raffia  in  each  strand  makes  a  better  size  for 
general  use.  If  the  raffia  is  slightly  dampened 
before  the  braiding  is  begun,  it  will  work  more 
smoothly.  The  ends  are  tied  together  and  attached 
to  a  hook  or  chair  back,  and  then  the  child  braids 
to  the  end  of  the  strands  or  until  they  become  thin 
and  spindling,  when  other  strands  are  laid  in, 
always  on  the  under  side,  so  that  the  little  ends 
will  not  show  on  the  upper  or  right  side.  These 
ends  may  be  cut  quite  close  when  the  braid  is  done. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  the  braiding 
should  be  even  and  firm. 

Knotted  Work  Bag 

Materials:     24  strands  of  raffia, 

A  stick  about  a  yard  long  and  i^  inches  wide, 
A  pair  of  scissors, 
A  tapestry  needle. 

The  stick  is  held  by  the  left  hand  at  right  angles 
with  the  body,  the  end  resting  on  a  chair  or  table. 
A  strand  of  raffia  is  doubled  and  tied  around  the 
stick,  as  shown  in  Fig.  6,  the  knot  being  drawn  up 
quite  close.  Twenty-four  strands  are  knotted  on  in 
this  way ;  they  are  then  placed  about  an  inch  apart, 


RAFFIA    AND    SOME    OF    ITS    USES  1$ 

and  beginning  with  the  inner  one  of  the  two 
strands  nearest  the  workman,  it  is  knotted,  at 
about  an  inch  from  the  first  row  of  knots,  with  the 
strand  nearest  it  in  the  next  pair,  making  an  even 
mesh.  This  is  continued  across  the  stick,  and 
another  row  is  knotted  and  another  until  ten  or 
twelve  rows  have  been  made,  when  the  work  will 

tend  toward  a  V  shape 

(see  Fig.  7,  which  for 
convenience   is    drawn 
-    with     fewer    strands). 


The  stick  is  now  slipped  out 
and  the  bag  finished  (see  Fig  8) 
by  knotting  first  the  two  loose 
strands  at  the  top  together, 
then  the  two  pairs  following, 
and  so  on  until  the  bottom  is 
reached.  The  two  sides  are 
joined  at  the  bottom  by  placing 
them  with  the  meshes  and  knots 
FIG.  6  evenly  together  and  knotting 

two  strands  from  the  front  and  two  from  the  back 
together  each  time  in  a  last  row  of  knotting.  The 
ends  of  the  raffia  when  cut  to  an  even  length  make 
a  fairly  satisfactory  finish,  but  the  following  is  a 
better  one :  Wind  a  strand  of  raffia  over  a  card, 
about  two  and  a  quarter  inches  wide,  five  or  si* 


14  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

times,  then  slip  it  off  and  bind  it  around  several 
times  near  the  top  with  the  end  of  the  strand,  sew- 
ing it  fast  with  a  tapestry  needle ;  this  forms  a  little 
tassel,  such  as  are  made  of  worsted.  A  row  of 
these  across  the  bottom  of  the  bag,  a  cord  of 


FIG.  7 


FIG.  8 


twisted  raffia  (as  worsted  cords  are  made),  drawn 
through  the  lop  loops  and  an  inner  lining  of  turkey- 
red  cotton  will  complete  this  pretty  and  serviceable 


L 


RAFFIA   AND    SOME   OF   ITS  USES 


RAFFIA    AND    SOME    OF    ITS    USES  1 5 

Knotted  Bag  for  Twine 

Materials:     17  strands  of  raffia, 

A  stick  the  size  of  a  lead  pencil, 
A  pair  of  scissors, 
A  ball  of  twine, 
A  tapestry  needle. 

It  will  be  well  to  get  your  ball  of  twine  before 
beginning  this  bag,  to  make  sure  of  its  fitting.  A 
common  lead  pencil,  provided  it  is  a  long  one,  will 
do  quite  as  well  as  a  special  stick,  and  the  raffia  is 
knotted  on  it  as  described  in  the  directions  for  a 
work  bag,  only  there  are  seventeen  strands  instead 
of  twenty-four ;  they  are  placed  closer  together,  not 
over  a  quarter  of  an  inch  apart,  and  the  rows  of 
knotting  are  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  from  each 
other.  When  twelve  rows  are  completed,  the  work 
is  slipped  off  and  finished  as  in  the  work  bag.  The 
bottom  should  be  drawn  up  tightly,  with  a  needleful 
of  raffia,  and  a  ball  of  twine  of  some  bright  har- 
monious color  slipped  in.  A  cord  to  gather  up  the 
loops  at  the  top  and  a  large  tassel  at  the  bottom 
will  be  the  finishing  touches  to  a  dainty  gift  that 
any  child  may  be  proud  to  offer  as  his  own  work 
Book-Mark 

Materials:     i  spoke  10  inches  long  of  No.  6  flat  rattan, 
3  spokes  3#  inches  long  of  No.  6  flat  rattan, 
i  strand  of  raffia, 
A  tapestry  needle. 


16  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

A  book-mark  that  is  pretty  and  easily  woven  is 
made  on  an  Indian  pattern,  with  the  Indian  arrange- 
ment of  spokes  and  weavers.  After  soaking  the 
spokes  for  an  hour  in  cold  water,  the  long  spoke, 
No.  i,  is  laid  on  a  table  vertically;  No.  2,  one  of 
the  short  spokes,  is  then  placed  across  it  horizon- 
tally, at  a  distance  of  a  little  over  an  inch  and  a 
half  from  the  end.  Number  3,  a  short  spoke,  is  laid 
across  the  other  two  obliquely,  to  the  right  of  the 
upper  end  of  spoke  No.  i,  and  between  it  and  the 
right  end  of  spoke  No.  2.  Number  4  crosses  from 
the  left  of  spoke  No.  i  obliquely,  completing  the 
star  shape.  A  strand  of  raffia  is  doubled  at  its 
centre  around  spoke  No.  i,  with  the  ends  toward 
the  right.  It  is  woven  by  pairing  (see  Chapter  I) 
to  a  distance  of  one  inch  from  the  tip  of  each 
spoke,  when  the  ends  of  the  raffia  are  threaded 
through  a  worsted  or  tapestry  needle  and  sewed  off 
under  the  weaving,  and  the  tips  of  the  short  spokes 
are  cut  in  points. 

Raffia  Mat 

Materials:     6  yards  of  braided  raffia, 

Several  strands  of  loose  raffia, 
A  tapestry  needle, 
A  pair  of  scissors. 

The  braided  raffia  previously  prepared  now 
comes  into  use.  A  tapestry  needle  is  threaded 


RAFFIA    AND    SOME    OF    ITS    USES  I/ 

with  a  fine  strand  of  raffia,  and  the  mat  is  begun 
by  winding  the  end  of  the  braid  several  times  with 
the  end  of  the  strand  which  is  threaded  through 
the  needle.  A  coil  is  then  started  with  the  end  of 
the  braid,  the  edge  of  the  braid  being  up,  not  the 
face,  and  it  is  sewed  through  at  least  three  braids 
at  a  time  in  stitches  which  run  in  the  direction  of 
the  twists  in  the  braid.  The  needle  is  run  in 
slanting  down  from  right  to  left  and  then  up  from 
right  to  left,  forming  a  V  within  the  coil.  The 
mat  is  coiled  round  and  round  in  this  way  till  it  is 
about  four  inches  in  diameter,  when  a  border  of  the 
braid,  sewed  on  in  loops,  completes  it.  These  mats 
may  be  dyed  or  stained,  or  a  large,  colored  bead  is 
sometimes  sewed  in  each  loop  of  the  border. 

Doll's  Hat 

Materials  t     2  yards  of  braided  raffia, 
A  tapestry  needle, 
Several  strands  of  loose  raffia, 
A  pair  of  scissors. 

The  idea  of  making  her  own  doll's  hats  will  be  a 
delightful  and  novel  one  to  the  small  girl,  and  hats 
of  all  si^es  and  shapes  are  possible  when  she  has 
once  mastered  the  sewing  together  of  the  braided 
raffia.  Just  as  in  large  hats  we  will  start  with  the 
very  centre  of  the  crown,  and  that  is  coiled  and 


l8  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

sewed  in  the  same  way  as  the  raffia  mat  was  done, 
till  it  is  an  oval  mat  about  one  and  a  half  by  two 
inches ;  the  coil  of  braid  is  then  brought  round  with 
its  upper  edge  just  below  the  centre  of  the  previous 
row.  The  next  row  is  sewed  around  in  the  same 
way  and  the  next  until  the  crown  is  the  desired 
height.  We  shall  have  to  be  careful  to  draw  the 
braid  tight,  and  in  sewing  to  make  the  stitches  run 
like  the  twists  in  the  braid  so  that  they  will  show 
as  little  as  possible.  The  brim  is  made  by  flatten- 
ing out  the  braid  and  letting  it  go  more  easily, 
taking  care,  however,  to  see  that  it  overlaps  the 
last  row  nearly  to  the  centre  of  the  braid  in  each 
case.  When  the  brim  is  about  an  inch  wide,  one 
or  two  rows  are  drawn  quite  tightly  as  they  are 
sewed  on,  which  gives  a  roll  to  the  edge  of  the 
brim,  and  it  is  finished  by  sewing  the  end  of  the 
braid  firmly  down  on  the  under  side  of  the  brim. 
Many  soft  raffia  baskets,  oval  and  round,  can  be 
made  on  the  principle  of  the  crown  of  this  hat,  and 
we  shall  learn  in  subsequent  chapters  how  to  make 
more  elaborate  baskets  of  this  material. 


Mats  and  Their  Borders 


CHAPTER  III 

MATS    AND    THEIR   BORDERS 

THE  centre,  which  forms  the  bottom  of  the 
basket  is  the  starting-point,  and  it  is  such  an  im- 
portant part  to  master  that  we  will  make  at  least 
two  centres  in  the  form  of  mats  before  beginning 
a  basket. 

Mat  with  Open   Border  No.  I 

Materials:     4  1 2-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  7 -inch  spoke  of  No  4  rattan, 
I  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan. 

The  four  spokes,  arranged  in  pairs,  are  crossed 
in  the  centre,  the  vertical  ones  being  uppermost  or 
nearest  the  person  weaving ;  and  between  the  upper 
halves  of  these  vertical  spokes  the  half  spoke  seven 
inches  long  is  placed.  These  are  held  in  position 
by  the  left  hand,  which  is,  as  always,  the  one  that 
holds  while  the  right  is  the  weaving  hand.  An  end 
of  the  weaver  previously  unwound  is  placed  along 
the  horizontal  spoke  back  of  the  vertical  ones  with 
the  end  toward  the  right.  The  forefinger  of  the 
right  hand  now  presses  the  weaver  across  the  upper 

21 


22 


HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 


vertical  spokes  and  down  behind  the  horizontal  ones 
on  the  right  (thus  binding  the  end  of  the  weaver 
securely),  next  over  the  lower  vertical  spokes,  and 
behind  the  horizontal  ones  on  the  left  (see  Fig.  9). 
This  is  repeated,  and  then  beginning  with  the  upper 
vertical  spokes,  the  spokes  are  separated  and  the 
weaving  begins  (see  Fig.  10).  A  common  fault  of 
beginners  is  to  pull  the  weaver  from  a  distance  of 
several  inches  from  the  work ;  instead  it  should  be 


FIG.  9.  FIG.  10. 

pressed  with  the  forefinger,  under  and  over  the 
spokes,  as  close  to  the  work  as  it  is  possible  to  get 
it.  The  spokes  should  be  very  evenly  separated — 
this  is  something  that  the  beginner  cannot  be  too 
careful  about,  as  upon  it  so  much  of  the  symmetry 
and  strength  of  his  baskets  will  depend.  It  ma» 


MATS  AND   THEIR   BORDERS  AND   THE   SIMPLEST  BASKETS 


MATS  AND  THEIR  BORDERS         2$ 

help  him  to  think  of  the  regular  spaces  between  the 
spokes  of  a  wheel  and  how  much  trouble  one  badly 
placed  spoke  would  make.  When  there  is  just 
enough  weaver  left  to  go  around  once,  the  binding 
off  is  begun.  This  is  a  process  much  like  over- 
casting. After  going  under  one  spoke  and  over 
another,  the  weaver  is  passed  under  the  last  row  of 
weaving  just  before  it  reaches  the  next  spoke,  it 
then  goes  behind  that  spoke,  in  front  of  the  next 
and  under  the  last  row  of  weaving  before  the  next 
spoke.  When  a  row  of  this  binding  is  completed, 
the  mat  is  finished  with 

Open  Border  No.  J. — After  cutting  the  spokes 
to  a  uniform  length  with  a  slanting  cut  (so  that 
the  point  may  be  easily  pushed  down  between  the 
weavers),  the  spokes  should  be  held  in  water  for  a 
few  minutes.  When  quite  pliable,  spoke  No.  I  is 
pushed  down  beside  spoke  No.  2,  No.  2  beside  No. 
3,  and  so  on  around  the  mat,  taking  care  that  at 
least  an  inch  is  pressed  below  the  edge  of  the  mat. 

Mat  with  Two    Weavers  and  Open  Border  No.  2 

Materials:    4  1 4-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

1  8-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 

2  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

This  mat  is  started  like  the  first  one  and  woven 
in  the  same  way  until  the  end  of  the  first  weaver 


24  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

is  reached,  when  another  is  joined  to  it  by  simply 
crossing  the  weavers,  at  an  inch  from  the  end  of 
each,  back  of  a  spoke  (See  Fig.  n).  The  ends 
may  need  to  be  held,  or  replaced  in  position  while 
weaving  one  row  after 
which  they  will  keep 
their  places  and  may 
be  cut  shorter  when 
the  mat  or  basket  is 
finished  and  dry. 

FIG.  1 1.- Joining  Weavers.        Thig   method   of  join. 

ing  weavers  has  the  advantage  of  not  showing  on 
the  right  side  of  the  work.  When  the  end  of  the 
second  weaver  is  reached,  bind  off  as  in  the  first 
mat  and  finish  with 

Open  Border  No.  2. — Spokes  at  least  four  inches 
long,  measuring  from  the  last  row  of  weaving,  are 
required  for  this  border.  Cut  and  soak  as  described 
in  Open  Border  No.  i.  Spoke  No.  i  crosses  No. 
2  and  is  pushed  down  beside  No.  3.  Number  2 
crosses  No.  3  and  is  pushed  down  beside  No.  4  and 
so  on  around  the  mat. 

Even  these  first  little  mats  are  useful  to  put 
under  a  tea-pot  on  the  table,  or  two  tied  together  with 
ribbons  or  with  their  borders  interlaced  will  make 
a  serviceable  whisk-broom  holder. 


The  Simplest   Baskets 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE    SIMPLEST   BASKETS 

IN  weaving  the  first  baskets,  while  the  worker 
is  getting  familiar  with  his  material,  he  should  copy 
such  simple  forms  as  are  shown  in  the  plate.  The 
working  out  of  his  own  ideas  will  follow  later. 

Basket  with  Open  Border  No.  I 

Materials:    4  1 4-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 

1  8-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 

2  weavers  of  No  2  rattan. 

Begin  as  in  the  directions  for  a  mat,  and  when 
the  centre  or  bottom  of  the  basket  is  about  two 
inches  in  diameter,  wet  the  spokes  and  bend  them 
sharply  upward,  remembering  always  that  the  side 
toward  the  person  weaving  is  the  outside  of  the 
basket,  and  that  the  weaving  should  go  from  left 
to  right.  This  is  something  that  even  skillful 
young  workmen  sometimes  need  to  have  impressed 
upon  them.  The  bottom  of  the  basket  should  be 
placed  on  the  knee  with  the  side  which  in  starting 
was  toward  the  worker  turned  down,  the  spokes 
27 


28  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

bent  upward,  and  the  weaving  done  in  that  position. 
In  weaving  up  the  sides  of  the  basket,  the  middle 
finger  of  the  right  hand  presses  down  each  spoke 
behind  which  the  weaver  has  to  go,  while  the 
thumb  and  forefinger  bring  the  weaver  along 
behind  it.  Two  weavers  are  used,  and  they  are 
joined  by  simply  crossing  them,  at  an  inch  from  the 
end  of  each,  behind  a  spoke.  After  binding  off, 
finish  with  Open  Border  No.  I. 

Basket  with  Rounding  sides  and  Open  Border  No.  2 

Materials:     4  1 4-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 

1  8-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 

2  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

Having  made  a  bottom  about  two  inches  in  diam- 
eter, wet  the  spokes  and  turn  them  up,  rounding 
them  by  bending  them  over  the  middle  finger.  The 
first  weaver  should  not  be  drawn  too  tight,  but 
allowed  to  go  easily,  though  pressed  closely  down 
upon  the  weaving  just  below  it.  Before  the  middle 
of  the  second  weaver  is  reached  the  spokes  should 
be  gradually  drawn  closer  together  by  a  slight 
tightening  of  the  weaver ;  this  should  continue  to 
the  end  of  the  weaver.  Bind  off  and  finish  with 
Open  Border  No.  2.  This  is  an  important  basket 
in  teaching  the  effect  of  a  loosely  and  a  tightly 
drawn  weaver.  Both  this  basket  and  the  one  with 


WEAVING  A   SMALL   BASKET 
This  illustrates  the  way  in  which  small  baskets  are  held  while  wear-ing  the  sides 


THE    SIMPLEST    BASKETS  29 

straight  sides  make  pretty  candy  baskets,  especially 
when  they  are  dyed  or  stained  attractively;  see 
Chapter  XII. 

Stand  for  Pens  and  Pencils  with  Open  Border  No.  I 

Materials:     4  1 4-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i  8-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
2%  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

Any  child  who  has  successfully  made  the  mats 
and  baskets  already  described  will  be  able  to  form 
this  stand  and  it  will  interest  him  to  see  how  useful 
it  will  be  on  someone's  desk. 

After  weaving  a  centre  almost  two  and  a  quarter 
inches  in  diameter,  the  spokes  are  turned  sharply 
upward,  and  the  weaving  of  the  sides  is  begun ; 
this  will  be  a  little  harder  than  the  weaving  of  the 
first  two  baskets  because  the  sides  should  be  kept 
perfectly  straight  all  the  way  up.  To  do  this  there 
must  be  an  even  pressure  on  the  weaver,  neither 
too  tight  nor  too  loose,  and  the  spokes  must  be 
kept  the  same  distance  apart  from  the  bottom  to 
the  top.  The  spoke  material  being  heavier  than  in 
the  other  baskets  helps  to  keep  the  sides  firm.  Two 
weavers  and  part  of  a  third  are  used ;  the  edge  is 
then  bound  off  and  Open  Border  No.  i  finishes  it. 


Covers 


CHAPTER  V 

COVERS 

IN  weaving  larger  baskets  the  number  of  spokes 
as  well  as  their  length  must  of  course  be  increased 
and  in  order  to  accustom  himself  to  the  handling 
of  these  extra  spokes  the  worker  is  advised  to 
make  a 

Large  Mat  with  Open  Border  No.  2 

Materials:    6  1 6-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  9-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
3  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

Three  vertical  and  three  horizontal  spokes  are 
arranged  as  in  the  first  mat,  and  the  half  spoke 
(so  called  for  convenience  but  which  is,  as  always, 
one  inch  longer  than  half  the  length  of  the  others, 
to  allow  for  binding)  is  placed  between  any  two 
of  the  upper  vertical  spokes.  It  should  never  be 
on  the  outside  of  the  group.  A  weaver  is  started 
and  bound  around  three  times,  the  spokes  are  then 
separated  and  the  weaving  begins.  Three  weavers 
are  used  and  then  the  mat  is  bound  off  and 
finished  with  Open  Border  No.  2. 
33 


34  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

The  child  who  does  not  appreciate  mats  will  be 
entirely  won  over  when  he  sees  some  of  the  fas- 
cinating things  that  can  be  made  with  them.  For 
example  a  tiny  wicker  table  just  the  size  for  a  doll's 
house  and  the  shape  for  an  afternoon  tea  1 

Doll's   Table  of  Rattan 

Materials:    6  22-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
I   12-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 
I  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  piece  of  fine  wire  2  or  3  inches  long, 
Raffia, 
A  knitting  needle. 

Two  groups  of  spokes,  one  of  three  and  the 
other  of  three  and  a  half,  are  crossed  in  the  centre 
and  woven  into  a  mat,  which  when  it  is  three  and 
a  half  inches  in  diameter  is  bound  off.  Each  spoke 
is  brought  across  the  next  one  and  pressed  down 
beside  the  next  as  in  Open  Border  No.  2,  with  the 
difference  that  the  long  end  is  not  cut  off,  but 
brought  out  between  the  fourth  and  fifth  rows  of 
weaving  on  the  under  side  of  the  mat.  The  border 
is  drawn  in  so  that  it  will  not  be  over  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  beyond  the  weaving,  The  long  ends  of 
the  spokes  (which  are  to  form  the  legs  of  the  table) 
are  brought  together  and  bound  with  a  piece  of 
fine  wire  just  under  the  centre.  They  are  then 
separated  into  three  groups  of  four  each.  The  odd 


COVERS  35 

spoke  is  either  cut  off  or  whittled  very  thin  and 
bound  in  with  one  of  the  three  groups.  A  strand 
of  raffia,  either  double  or  single,  is  now  started  at 
the  top  of  one  of  the  groups  and  wound  tightly 
around  until  it  has  covered  the  desired  length.  At 
the  end  a  half  hitch,  or  one  button-hole  stitch,  is 
made  to  keep  the  raffia  from  slipping  and  then  it  is 
wound  up  again  to  the  top.  It  is  brought  down 
the  second  leg  as  far  as  the  first  one  was  wound, 
then  it  is  turned  with  a  half  hitch  and  brought  up 
again  in  the  same  way.  The  third  leg  is  also 
wound  down  and  up  again  with  a  half  hitch  at  the 
bottom  to  hold  it.  After  this  third  leg  has  been 
covered  the  raffia  is  brought  in  and  out  between 
the  legs  where  they  separate  in  order  to  spread 
them  more  effectually.  It  is  then  tied  and  the 
ends  cut  close.  Finally  the  spokes  at  the  end  of 
each  leg  are  cut  to  a  uniform  length,  and  slanting, 
so  that  the  table  will  stand  firmly. 

Doll's  Chair  of  Rattan 

Materials :  6  ao-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan 
i  1 1 -inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 
4  lo-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 

1  piece  of  No.  3  rattan  about  9  inches  long 

2  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
Raffia 

A  knitting  needle 


36  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

Again  the  mat  comes  into  play.  This  time  as 
the  seat  of  a  miniature  high  backed  chair  made  of 
rattan.  Groups  of  twenty-inch  spokes,  one  of 
three  and  the  other  of  three  and  a  half,  are  crossed 
in  the  centre,  bound  around  twice  with  a  weaver  of 
No.  2  rattan  and  woven  into  a  mat  three  inches  in 
diameter.  Each  spoke  is  brought  down  beside  the 
next  one,  as  in  Open  Border  No.  i,  except  that  the 
long  end  is  threaded  through  between  the  second 
and  third  rows  of  weaving  on  the  under  side  of  the 
mat.  When  all  have  been  brought  out  in  this  way 
underneath  the  mat,  or  seat,  the  four  groups  of 
three  ends  each  which  are  to  form  the  legs,  should 
be  so  divided  that  the  vertical  spokes  in  the  centre 
of  the  chair  seat  shall  run  toward  the  front  and 
back  of  the  seat.  The  thirteenth  spoke  is  whittled 
to  a  thin  point  and  bound  in  with  one  of  the  other 
groups,  which  are  wound  with  raffia  down  to  the 
end,  turned  with  a  half  hitch  and  then  brought  up 
again.  A  neat  way  to  start  the  raffia  is  to  thread 
it  across  a  row  of  weaving  just  above  the  group  it 
is  to  bind.  A  ring  of  No.  3  rattan  about  nine 
inches  long  is  coiled  and  held  within  the  space 
inclosed  by  the  legs,  about  half  way  down,  where 
it  is  wound  around  with  a  strand  of  raffia  and 
bound  securely  to  each  leg.  The  back  of  the  chair 
is  formed  by  inserting  a  number  of  spokes  of  No.  3 


COVERS  37 

rattan,  ten  inches  long  beside  those  in  the  seat  and 
at  that  part  of  the  seat  which  has  been  chosen  for 
the  back.  It  is  woven  back  and  forth  with  No.  2 
weaver.  Needless  to  say  the  weaver  must  be  a 
very  pliable  one  in  order  to  make  the  sharp  turns 
that  are  necessary  on  the  sides.  Individual  taste 
and  skill  here  has  an  excellent  opportunity  to  show 
itself,  and  an  ingenious  child  will  find  that  he  can 
construct  almost  any  kind  of  a  back  he  chooses. 
The  outside  spokes  of  the  chair  back  in  the  picture 
are  each  brought  over  and  down  beside  the  other 
one;  while  the  inner  spokes  are  crossed  in  the 
centre  and  run  down  beside  the  outer  spokes,  form- 
ing a  narrow,  oval  back  which  is  woven  back  and 
forth  as  far  up  as  the  crossing  of  the  inner  spokes. 
If  arms  are  desired  more  spokes  will  be  necessary. 
In  this  case  the  outer  spokes  are  woven  in  with  the 
others  for  a  few  rows  and  then  bent  over  and  for- 
ward to  form  the  arms.  They  are  cut  to  the 
desired  length  and  each  is  inserted  beside  one  of 
the  side  spokes  in  the  seat.  Having  exhausted,  for 
the  present,  the  possibilities  of  the  mat  we  will 
return  to  the  real  subject  of  the  chapter — covers, 
with  apologies  for  the  digression. 


38  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

Small  Round  Basket  with  Slightly  Rounded  Covet 

Materials:     BASKET— 6  i6-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  9-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
4  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

COVER,  HINGE,  ETC. — 6  1 4-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  8-inch  spoke  of  No  4  rattan, 
lj£  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

The  bottom  is  woven  in  the  same  way  as  the 
large  mat,  to  a  diameter  of  one  and  three-eighths 
inches ;  when  the  spokes  are  wet  and  rounded  up 
over  the  finger.  The  sides  are  woven  with  loosely 
drawn  weavers  until  three  have  been  used.  The 
fourth  weaver  is  drawn  tighter  so  that  the  basket 
shall  be  somewhat  the  shape  of  an  orange  with  the 
top  cut  off.  The  edge  is  bound  and  finished  with 
this  border.  The  spokes  are  soaked  until  pliable, 
and  each  is  brought  back  of  the  next  one  on  the 
right  and  then  out.  This  goes  on  around  the  bas- 
ket. The  end  of  each  spoke  in  turn  is  then  brought 
over  the  first  spoke  on  the  right,  and  pressed  down 
inside  the  basket  just  behind  the  second  spoke  on 
the  right  and  next  to  the  weaving. 

The  cover  is  woven  like  the  bottom,  except  that 
from  the  very  centre  the  spokes  are  bent  gradually 
up.  One  full-length  weaver  should  make  a  large 
enough  cover.  It  is  then  bound  off  and  finished 
with  a  Rope  Border.  Each  spoke  in  succession  is 


COVERS  39 

brought  across  the  next  spoke  to  the  right  and  then 
inside  the  cover.  When  the  circuit  of  the  cover 
has  been  made,  each  end  of  a  spoke  is  brought 
across  the  next  spoke  to  the  right  and  then  pressed 
down  inside  the  cover  where,  after  the  border  is 
finished,  they  are  cut  just  long  enough  to  allow  each 
end  to  lie  across  the  next  spoke. 

Fastenings.  Three  rings  of  No.  2  rattan  are 
made  as  follows.  A  piece  of  rattan  about  a  foot 
long,  which  has  been 
soaked  until  pliable,  is 
tied  into  a  ring.  The 
ends  are  then  twisted 
in  and  out  once 
around  the  foundation 
ring  (see  Fig.  12),  or 
when  a  heavier  ring 
is  required,  twice  or 

three  times.     One  of 

FIG.  12. 
the   rings   should   be 

smaller  than  the  other  two,  and  none  of  them  need 
be  over  three-quarters  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  The 
smallest  one  is  attached  to  the  cover  in  front, 
across  a  spoke  and  between  the  border  and  the  last 
row  of  weaving,  each  end  being  sewed  off  under  a 
spoke,  then  over  one  and  inside  the  cover,  where  it 
is  cut  off.  Another  ring  is  attached  in  the  same 


40  HOW   TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

way  at  the  back  of  the  cover,  and  the  third  one  is 
fastened  across  a  spoke  in  the  front  of  the  basket, 
between  the  third  and  fourth  rows  of  weaving.  To 
complete  the  hinge  the  cover  is  put  in  position  so 
that  the  ring  at  the  back  of  the  cover  will  be  just 
above  a  spoke  on  the  basket.  The  end  of  a  small 
piece  of  No.  2  weaver  is  then  pressed  in  between 
the  third  and  fourth  rows  of  weaving  to  the.  left  of 
the  spoke  referred  to,  and  brought  out  on  the  right 
of  the  spoke.  The  ends  are  then  crossed,  brought 
through  the  ring  on  the  cover,  and  drawn  up  just 
tight  enough  to  allow  the  cover  to  close  easily. 
The  end  which  started  on  the  left  of  the  spoke  is 
brought  to  the  right  and  fastened,  as  the  rings 
were,  between  the  border  and  the  last  row  of 
weaving  on  the  basket,  while  the  end  which  started 
from  the  right  of  the  spoke  crosses  to  the  left,  and 
is  fastened  in  the  same  way  between  the  border 
and  the  last  row  of  weaving.  If  desired  this  basket 
may  be  varnished,  see  Chapter  XI I. 

Green  Rattan  Basket  with  Flat  Cover 

Materials:     BASKET— 8  i6-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  9-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
5^   weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

COVER,  HINGE,  ETC. — 6  1 6-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i  9-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
4  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 


COVERS  41 

This  is  an  excellent  shape  for  candy  or  for  a 
small  work  basket  and  though  it  is  so  simple  if  it 
is  well  made  and  colored  the  result  is  most  satis- 
factory. The  basket  is  started  with  eight  sixteen 
and  one  nine-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan,  bound 
three  times  with  No.  2  weaver  and  woven  into  a 
bottom  three  inches  and  a  quarter  in  diameter. 
The  spokes  are  then  wet  and  rounded  up  into  a 
bowl  shape  which,  when  five  weavers  have  been 
used  in  under-and-over  weaving,  should  be  drawn 
in  gradually  with  the  remaining  half  weaver  until 
the  top  of  the  basket  is  five  and  a  half  inches  in 
diameter,  It  is  then  bound  off  and  finished  with 
this  border.  Each  spoke  is  brought  over  the  next 
one  on  the  right  and  pressed  down  inside  the  basket 
where,  after  the  border  is  finished,  the  ends  are  cut 
just  long  enough  to  allow  each  to  lie  against  the 
spoke  in  front  of  it. 

The  cover  has  two  groups  of  sixteen-inch  spokes, 
one  of  three  and  the  other  of  three  and  a  half 
which  are  crossed  in  the  usual  way  and 
bound  three  times.  It  is  woven  like  the  large  mat 
until  its  diameter  is  about  five  inches  when  the 
edge  is  bound  off  and  finished  with  the  Rope 
Border  already  described  on  page  39. 

The  hinge  and  fastening  are  made  as  follows. 
Having  chosen  the  best  place  for  the  hinge  on 


42  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

basket  and  cover  an  end  of  a  piece  of  No.  2  rattan, 
about  a  foot  long,  (which  has  been  wet  until  pliable) 
is  inserted  at  the  right  of  a  spoke  and  under  the 
last  row  of  weaving  on  the  basket.  It  is  then 
woven  under  and  over  two  or  three  spokes  to  fasten 
it  securely.  The  long  end  is  crossed  diagonally 
over  the  border  of  the  cover  and  pressed  in 
between  the  last  two  rows  of  weaving  at  the  left  of 
a  spoke.  It  is  then  brought  down  inside  and  out 
again  at  the  left  of  the  spoke  on  the  basket  and 
across  to  the  right  of  the  spoke  in  the  cover, 
where  it  is  pressed  inside  and  down  to  the  place 
where  it  started  on  the  basket.  Here  it  is  woven 
under  and  over  several  spokes  till  it  is  firmly 
attached.  The  front  fastening  is  formed  of  two 
rings,  also  made  of  No.  2  rattan,  see  page  39.  The 
ring  on  the  cover  should  be  smaller  than  the  one. 
on  the  basket  so  that  it  may  slip  through  it.  Ir\ 
attaching  the  one  on  the  cover,  the  ends  are  pushed 
inside  the  basket  between  the  border  and  the  last 
row  of  weaving,  and  woven  under  and  over  two 
or  three  spokes  until  the  ring  is  secure.  The  ring 
on  the  basket  is  fastened  in  the  same  way,  except 
that  the  ends  are  inserted  between  the  fourth  and 
fifth  rows  of  weaving  from  the  top,  one  on  either 
side  of  a  spoke.  The  basket  is  then  colored  pale 
green,  see  Chapter  XII. 


COVERS  43 

Basket  with  Deep  Cover  having  Rounded  Sides 

Materials:     BASKET— 8  i8-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
i   lo-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 

4  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 
COVER  AND  FASTENINGS— 8  1 8-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 

I   lo-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 

5  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

A  bottom,  slightly  raised  in  the  centre,  is  woven 
to  a  diameter  of  two  and  a  half  inches.  After  the 
spokes  have  been  wet  until  pliable  they  are  bent 
up  in  a  rounded  flare,  like  a  saucer  in  shape.  Four 
weavers  are  used  in  under-and-over  weaving,  and 
the  basket  should  then  be  about  five  and  a  quarter 
inches  in  diameter.  The  edge  is  bound  off  and  a 
border  made  in  this  way.  Each  spoke  is  brought 
under  the  next  spoke  on  the  right,  then  over  one 
and  inside  of  the  basket.  The  first  part  of  the 
border  should  be  left  loose  and  open  so  that  the 
last  spokes  can  be  more  easily  woven  in. 

The  cover  is  made  in  the  same  way  as  the  basket, 
except  that  the  spokes  are  bent  gradually  up  from 
the  centre  in  a  rounded  flare.  When  four  weavers 
have  been  used,  and  the  cover  is  exactly  the  size  of 
the  basket,  it  is  bound  off  and  completed  with  the 
simple  border  made  by  bringing  each  spoke  over 
the  one  on  the  right  and  down  inside. 

A  ring  (see  Fig.  12)  is  attached  to  the  front  of 


44  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

the  cover,  another  one  at  the  back,  and  a  third  and 
slightly  larger  one  is  fastened  on  to  the  basket  (just 
below  the  one  on  the  front  of  the  cover)  across  a 
spoke,  and  between  the  second  and  third  rows  of 
leaving  from  the  top. 

A  knob  by  which  to  lift  the  cover  is  made  of 
a  pliable  piece  of  No.  2  rattan  about  a  foot  long. 
A  knitting  needle  is  run  in  between  the  spokes  and 
the  binding,  at  the  right  of  the  upper  vertical 
spokes  in  the  centre  of  the  cover,  making  a  space 
through  which  an  end  of  the  piece  of  rattan  is  in- 
serted and  fastened  off  on  the  wrong  side,  by 
weaving  it  under  and  over  one  or  two  spokes.  The 
long  end  is  brought  diagonally  across  to  the  left  of 
the  lower  vertical  spokes,  where  it  is  pushed  through 
(with  the  aid  of  the  knitting  needle)  leaving  a  loop 
about  half  an  inch  high  on  top.  It  then  crosses  on 
the  wrong  side  to  the  place  where  it  started. 

This  is  repeated  until  there  are  four  loops  of 
the  same  height  and  close  together.  The  end  is 
then  brought  out  at  the  right  of  the  lower  vertical 
spokes  and  woven  over  the  first  two  loops,  under 
the  next  two,  and  in  at  the  left  of  the  upper  verti- 
cal spokes.  The  second  time  across,  it  is  again 
brought  over  the  first  t\r3  loops  and  under  the 
second  The  third  time  the  weaver  crosses,  it 
goes  under  the  first  two  loops,  over  the  second  and 


LARGE  MAT  AND  DOLL'S  FURNITURE 

The  starting  of  a  large  mat  is  shown  at  the  upper  left-hand  corner  of  the  plate, 
with  the  finished  mat  beside  it.  The  tiny  chair,  table  and  foot-stool  are  begun  a> 
the  same  way. 


COVERS  45 

in ;  while  the  fourth  follows  the  third  in  the  same 
way.  The  end  is  then  fastened  off  on  the  wrong 
side,  completing  the  knob. 

Basket  with  Overlapping  Cover 

Materials:     BASKET— 8  1 8-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
i   lo-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 
$Yz  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
6  strands  of  raffia,  braided. 

COVER  AND  RING — 8  1 6-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
i  9-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 
4  or  5  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
6  strands  of  raffia,  braided, 
A  knitting  needle. 

Before  beginning  this  basket  the  raffia  will  have 
to  be  braided,  as  described  in  Chapter  II,  into  two 
pieces  of  equal  length ;  one  for  the  band  on  the 
basket  and  the  other  for  the  cover.  The  bottom 
of  the  basket  is  woven,  slightly  raised  in  the  centre, 
to  a  diameter  of  four  and  a  half  inches ;  the  spokes 
are  then  wet  until  pliable  and  turned  sharply  up- 
ward. Straight  sides  are  woven  of  half  an  inch  of 
triple  twist,  then  three  rows  of  braided  raffia  and 
another  half  inch  of  triple  twist,  which  should  end 
at  the  same  place  on  the  circumference  of  the  bas- 
ket as  it  began.  In  ending,  each  weaver  is  cut 
just  long  enough  to  allow  it  to  be  pressed  down 
beside  the  next  spoke  for  about  half  an  inch  below 
the  edge  of  the  basket.  The  border  is  woven  from 


46  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

right  to  left  (instead  of  left  to  right  as  is  usual  in 
closed  borders),  which  makes  it  harmonize  better 
with  the  triple  twist.  Each  spoke  is  brought  under 
the  spoke  to  the  left,  over  the  next  spoke  and  down 
inside ;  the  beginning  of  the  border  being  left  open 
so  that  the  last  spokes  may  be  easily  woven  in. 

Cover* — Eight  and  a  half  sixteen-inch  spokes  are 
divided  into  two  groups,  one  of  four  and  the  other 
of  four  and  a  half,  and  started  in  a  flat  centre  which 
is  woven  to  a  diameter  of  an  inch  and  three- 
quarters.  The  braided  raffia  is  then  joined  to  the 
rattan,  by  crossing  the  ends  back  of  a  spoke,  and 
woven  into  four  rows.  The  rattan  is  then  started 
again  and  continued  in  under-and-over  weaving 
until  the  cover  is  five  inches  in  diameter  when  the 
spokes  are  thoroughly  wet  and  turned  sharply  up- 
ward. Seven-eighths  of  an  inch  of  triple  twist  is 
woven  into  straight  sides  for  the  overlapping  cover. 
It  is  finished  with  a  border  in  one  row,  woven  from 
right  to  left  as  was  the  border  of  the  basket.  Each 
spoke  is  brought  over  the  next  spoke,  under  the 
succeeding  one  and  then  out,  where  it  is  cut,  after 
the  border  is  made,  just  long  enough  to  allow  the 
end  to  lie  against  the  spoke  in  front. 

A  ring,  not  quite  an  inch  in  diameter,  of  No.  2 
rattan  twisted  around  three  times,  is  a  necessary 
addition.  It  makes  a  sturdy  little  handle  with 


COVERS  47 

which  to  raise  the  cover.  After  the  ends  have 
been  twisted  around  the  circumference  of  the  ring 
as  described  elsewhere  in  this  chapter,  they  are  in- 
serted, with  the  aid  of  a  knitting  needle,  one  on 
either  side  of  the  vertical  spokes  in  the  very  centre 
of  the  cover,  and  woven  under  and  over  one  or  two 
spokes  till  firmly  fastened,  when  they  are  cut  off  on 
the  inside. 


Handles 


CHAPTER  VI 

HANDLES 

SUCH  handles  as  are  described  in  this  chapter 
are  simple  and  quite  possible  for  the  beginner  to 
make.  Others  that  are  more  elaborate  will  be 
found  in  the  chapter  on  Oval  Baskets. 

Small  Basket  with  Twisted  Handle 

Materials^     BASKET — 6  1 6-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

1  9-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 

2  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
HANDLE — i  1 2-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 

I  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

Six  spokes  and  a  half  are  started  as  in  the  large 
mat  and  woven  into  a  centre,  which  should  be 
pressed  up  in  the  middle  into  a  concave  form  like 
the  bottom  of  a  wine  bottle.  Beginners  often  find 
it  hard  to  make  a  basket  that  will  stand  well. 
The  tendency  seems  to  be  to  form  a  rounded  bot- 
tom rather  than  one  that  is  perfectly  flat.  A 
bottom  that  is  slightly  concave  is  not  so  difficult 
to  make,  and  answers  the  purpose  as  well  as  a  flat 
Si 


52  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

one.  When  the  bottom  is  two  inches  in  diameter 
the  spokes  are  wet  and  bent  upward  and  woven 
with  flaring  sides.  Two  weavers  are  used,  and 
then  the  basket  is  bound  off  and  finished  with  a 
closed  border. 

After  wetting  the  spokes  until  they  are  pliable 
the  border,  which  is  in  two  rows,  is  begun.  The 
first  spoke  is  brought  behind  the  spoke  to  the 
right  of  it  and  then  out,  leaving  a  space  between 
the  basket  and  the  first  spoke.  The  second  spoke 
is  brought  behind  the  one  to  the  right  of  it  and 
then  out  in  the  same  way,  except  that  it  is  pressed 
close  down  upon  the  basket.  Each  spoke  in  turn 
is  brought  back  and  out  until  there  is  only  one 
left  erect.  This  spoke  is  brought  behind  the  first 
spoke,  out  between  the  first  and  second  spokes 
and  pressed  close  down  upon  the  weaving.  In  the 
second  row  each  spoke  is  brought  behind  the 
succeeding  one  on  the  right  and  then  out,  making 
a  roll  on  the  edge  of  the  basket  with  the  ends  out- 
side. These  ends  are  cut  slanting,  just  long 
enough  to  allow  each  to  rest  on  the  spoke  in  front 
of  it. 

Handle* — The  knitting  needle  is  run  down  beside 
a  spoke  and  then  drawn  out  leaving  room  to  insert 
an  end  of  the  twelve  inch  spoke,  which  should  be 
pressed  down  at  least  an  inch  below  the  top  of  the 


HANDLES  53 

basket.  The  other  end  of  the  spoke  is  then  in- 
serted in  the  same  way  beside  a  spoke  exactly 
opposite  where  the  first  end  was  placed.  This 
makes  the  foundation  handle.  The  end  of  a  pliable 
weaver  is  now  inserted  under  the  third  row  from 
the  top  of  the  basket  to  the  left  of  the  foundation 
handle  and  run  up  between  the  weaving.  This 
weaver  is  twisted  around  the  handle  with  twists 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  apart  (experience  will  soon 
show  that  twists  too  near  together  will  make  an  un- 
even handle  and  those  too  far  apart  one  that  is  not 
firm  and  strong).  At  the  opposite  side  of  the  bas- 
ket the  weaver  is  pushed  in,  under  the  third  row  of 
vveaving  from  the  top,  on  one  side  of  the  handle 
and  brought  out  again  on  the  other  side  of  the 
handle  three  rows  from  the  top,  making  a  loop  in- 
side. The  weaver  is  then  laid  close  beside  the 
first  twist,  and  follows  it  across  to  the  opposite 
side,  where  it  goes  in  under  the  third  row  on  the 
left  of  the  handle  and  comes  out  on  the  right  side. 
Each  row  of  twisting  must  follow  close  beside  the 
last  and  six,  or  at  most  seven,  rows  will  cover  the 
spoke.  The  weaver  is  fastened  off  by  bringing  it 
inside  the  basket,  then  out  across  a  spoke  and  in- 
side the  basket  again  where  it  is  cut  short. 


54  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

Basket  with  Small  Side  Handles 

Materials'-     BASKET — 8  24-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I   13-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
4%  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 
HANDLES — 2  22-inch  pieces  of  No.  4  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

Strong  practical  handles  are  in  keeping  with  the 
plain  bowl  shaped  basket  in  the  picture,  which  is 
rather  like  a  doll's  clothes  basket  and  may  be  used 
for  one.  After  weaving  a  slightly  concave  bottom, 
four  inches  in  diameter,  the  spokes  are  wet  and 
bent  upward;  rounding  them  over  the  finger  as 
described  elsewhere.  The  sides  are  gradually 
flared  until,  when  four  full  length  weavers  and  a 
half  have  been  used,  the  basket  is  seven  and  a 
quarter  inches  in  diameter.  The  top  is  then  bound 
off  and  completed  with  a  border  as  follows.  In  the 
first  row,  each  spoke  is  brought  back  of  the  next 
one  on  the  right  and  then  out.  In  the  second  row, 
each  spoke  is  brought  back  of  the  succeeding  one 
on  the  right  and  then  out.  The  third  row  is  made 
by  bringing  each  end  over  the  next  spoke  on  the 
right,  and  pushing  it  inside  the  basket  just  back  of 
the  succeeding  spoke  and  directly  above  the 
weaving. 

Handles. — In  making  the  handles  the  two 
twenty-two  inch  pieces  of  rattan  are  soaked  until 


BASKETS  WITH   HANDLES 

The  simplest  handle  is  that  on  the  small  basket  at  the  left  of  the  foreground. 
Another  simple  handle  is  the  braided  one  beside  it.  Below  and  to  the  right  is  a 
basket  with  small  side  handles.  Above  is  the  rattle  with  its  handle  of  wound 
cane,  and  above  that  is  shown  the  basket  with  large  ring  handles,  and,  most 
elaborate  of  all,  the  handle  with  interlaced  ends. 


HANDLES  55 

they  are  pliable.  Then  one  is  started  in  this  way : 
After  the  knitting  needle  has  been  pushed  down  on 
the  left  of  a  spoke,  to  make  way  between  the 
weavers,  an  end  of  the  twenty-two  inch  piece  of 
rattan  is  pressed  down  about  three-quarters  of  an 
inch  below  the  top  of  the  weaving.  The  long  end 
is  brought  across  one  spoke,  not  counting  the  one 
beside  which  it  started,  and  down  inside  the  basket 
at  the  left  of  the  next  spoke  and  just  under  the 
border;  making  the  foundation  handle  which,  at 
its  widest  part,  should  not  be  over  an  inch  from 
the  basket.  The  end  is  now  brought  out  on  the 
right  of  the  spoke  and  tw'sted  around  the  founda- 
tion handle.  About  three  twists  should  bring  it 
to  the  other  side  of  the  handle  where  it  is  pushed 
down  inside  the  basket  on  the  right  of  the  spoke 
and  out  again  on  the  left.  It  then  twists  around 
the  handle  across  to  the  right  side,  where  the  end 
is  cut  off,  leaving  about  an  inch  which  is  pressed 
down  between  the  weavers  to  the  right  of  the 
spoke.  The  second  handle  is  made  in  the  same 
way,  taking  care  that  it  shall  be  so  placed  on  the 
basket  as  to  be  exactly  opposite  the  first  one. 


56  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

Flower  Basket  with  High  Braided  Handle 

Materials:     BASKET.— 8  i8-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i   lo-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
6  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
YZ  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan  stained  green. 
HANDLE. — 6  32-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

A  slightly  concave  bottom  is  woven,  on  eight 
and  a  half  spokes,  to  a  diameter  of  two  and  a  half 
inches ;  when  the  spokes  are  soaked  until  pliable 
and  then  turned  up  with  a  very  slight  flare,  to 
about  an  inch  from  the  bottom.  Here  six  pieces 
of  No.  2  rattan  thirty-two  inches  long  are  inserted, 
three  on  either  side  of  a  spoke,  with  the  help  of  a 
knitting  needle,  which  is  first  run  down  to  make 
room  for  the  ends.  These  six  pieces  are  then 
braided  into  a  handle  (having  two  pieces  in  each 
strand)  of  the  desired  height.  The  ends  are  pushed 
down,  three  on  each  side  of  a  spoke,  directly  oppo- 
site the  one  where  the  handle  was  started  and  the 
weaving  of  the  basket  continues.  The  half  weaver 
in  green  is  divided  again  and  woven  into  one  row 
of  double  weave  ;  then  the  spokes  are  wet  and  bent 
outward,  until  they  are  so  flared  as  almost  to  be 
horizontal.  The  weaver  must  be  pushed  back  to 
make  it  loose  enough  to  allow  the  spokes  to  spread. 
The  flare  continues  for  almost  two  inches,  when 


HANDLES  57 

the  basket  is  bound  off  and  finished  with  Open 
Border  No.  2.  This,  if  the  loops  are  low,  not  over 
five-eighths  of  an  inch  from  the  weaving,  will  make 
an  appropriate  and  pretty  finish. 

Baby's  Rattle  with  Handle  of  Rattan  and  Cane 

Materials'-     RATTLE. — 4  26-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
i   14-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 
3/4  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
4  small  round  bells. 
HANDLE. — i  length  of  fine  split  cane. 

The  spokes  are  bound  and  the  weaving  begun  in 
the  usual  way  except  that  from  the  centre  the 
spokes  are  bent  up  and  out,  making  a  rounding  top 
to  the  rattle.  This  flare  continues  until  at  two  and 
a  half  inches  from  the  centre  the  circumference  is 
a  little  over  ten  inches.  The  weaver  is  then  pulled 
more  tightly,  drawing  in  the  spokes  at  first  grad- 
ually and  then  decidedly  until  they  almost  meet, 
when  four  small  bells  are  slipped  in,  and  the  weaving 
continued  as  far  as  it  will  go.  All  but  one  of  the 
spokes  are  cut  to  a  length  of  four  inches  from  the 
last  row  of  weaving,  that  one  being  left  nine  inches 
long.  A  length  of  fine  cane  such  as  is  used  in 
caning  chairs,  see  Chapter  XIII,  is  next  wet  for  a 
few  minutes  and,  after  the  spokes  of  the  handle 
have  been  laid  in  proper  order,  it  is  started  as  close 


58  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

to  the  end  of  the  weaving  as  possible,  with  its  end 
turning  down  along  the  handle. 

The  handle  is  held  so  that  the  spokes  will  not 
twist,  and  the  cane  is  wound  around  it  evenly  and 
tightly,  edge  to  edge,  so  that  none  of  the  rattan 
shows.  At  an  inch  and  a  quarter  from  the  end  of 
the  handle,  the  long  spoke  is  bent  over  into  a  loop 
and  the  end  pressed  up  among  the  other  spokes. 
The  winding  then  continues  to  the  end  of  the 
handle,  and  around  the  loop  in  the  same  way,  until 
it  is  covered,  when  the  cane  is  cut  off  leaving  an 
end  an  inch  long.  This  end  is  woven  up  the 
handle,  over  and  under  several  rows  of  cane. 
When  it  has  been  woven  in  this  way  for  about  half 
an  inch,  it  is  bent  back  and  run  down  under  the 
cane.  This  finishes  a  rattle  which  a  child  can 
easily  weave,  and  it  will  delight  him  to  find  he  is 
able  to  make  such  an  acceptable  little  gift  ^for  a 
baby  brother  or  sister. 


Vase-Shaped  Basket  with  Ring  Handles 

Materials :  BASKET. — 8  2o-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  terra  cotta  rattan, 
i  1 1 -inch  spoke  of  No.  3  terra  cotta  rattan, 
5  weavers  of  No.  2  terra  cotta  rattan. 
HANDLES. — 2  23-inch  pieces  of  No.  4  rattan  stained 
black  to  within  two  inches  of  each  end, 
A  knitting  needle, 


HANDLES  59 

The  fine  spokes  that  are  used  in  this  basket 
make  it  easier  to  mold  into  curves  than  if  it  was 
woven  on  the  more  rigid,  heavy  spoke  material.  A 
terra  cotta  stain,  see  Chapter  XII,  is  used  to  color 
the  spokes  and  weavers  of  this  basket,  and  two 
pieces  of  No  4  rattan  twenty-three  inches  long  are 
stained  black  to  within  two  inches  of  each  end,  to 
form  the  ring  shaped  handles  on  the  sides.  A  con- 
cave bottom,  two  and  three-quarters  inches  in 
diameter,  is  woven ;  the  spokes  are  then  wet  and 
the  sides  turned  up  to  form  a  bowl  shape.  After 
the  second  weaver  has  been  used  the  spokes  are 
gradually  drawn  in  by  tightening  the  weavers, 
until  the  fifth  weaver  is  started ;  when  the  spokes 
are  gradually  flared,  until  three-quarters  of  the  fifth 
weaver  has  been  used.  Then  they  are  mere  flared 
until  the  end  of  the  fifth  weaver  is  reached,  when 
the  basket  is  bound  off.  In  the  border  each  spoke 
is  brought  over  the  next  one  on  the  right,  back  of 
the  next  and  then  out  where  it  is  cut  slanting  just 
long  enough  to  allow  it  to  lie  across  the  next  spoke 
on  the  right. 

Ring  handles  are  made  in  the  same  way  as  the 
rings  described  on  page  39,  only  on  a  much  larger 
scale,  being  almost  three  and  a  half  inches  in 
diameter.  They  are  twisted  so  that  the  rings  will 
be  made  of  the  stained  part  of  the  rattan ;  leaving 


6O  HOW   TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

the  plain  ends  to  be  woven  under  and  over  where 
the  rings  are  attached,  (one  on  each  side  of  the 
basket  under  the  third  row  of  weaving  from  the  top) 
and  afterward  colored  with  the  terra  cotta  stain. 

Basket  with  Twisted  Handle  having 
Interlaced  Ends 

Materials  J    BASKET.— 8  2o-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i   n-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
6  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 
HANDLE. — i  length  of  No.  4  rattan. 

A  bottom  is  woven  two  and  three-quarters  inches 
in  diameter,  on  eight  and  a  half  twenty-inch  spokes, 
which  are  then  thoroughly  wet  and  bent  upward 
with  a  slight  flare.  When  two  weavers  have  been 
used,  the  spokes  are  flared  more  decidedly,  and 
when  two  more  have  been  woven  in  this  way,  the 
spokes  are  drawn  in  while  using  the  remaining  two 
weavers.  The  edge  is  then  bound  off  and  finished 
with  the  simple  border  described  in  the  directions 
for  a  basket  with  a  twisted  handle  in  the  first  part 
of  the  chapter. 

Handle. — A  length  of  No.  4  rattan  which  has 
been  soaked  until  pliable  is  cut  into  four  pieces  and 
then  separated  into  pairs.  These  are  bent  into 
loops  at  about  ten  inches  from  one  end  of  each 
and  knotted  in  this  way.  The  loops  are  held  firmly 


HANDLES 


61 


where  the  short  end  of  each  comes  against  the  long 
end,  (making  sure  that  the  short  ends  are  on  the 


FIG.  13 


same  sides  of  the 
loops)  one  in  each 
hand  of  the  worker, 
who  passes  one  loop 
through  the  other, 
bringing  the  ends  of 
the  loop  through 
which  it  passed  over 
it,  which  makes  the 
loop  uppermost  on 
one  end  of  the  knot 
and  on  the  other  the 
ends,  see  Fig.  13. 
The  short  ends  are 
now  crossed  one 
under  a  long  end  and 
one  over  (as  shown  in 
Fig.  13),  and  brought 


FIG.  14 


62  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

together.  The  long  ends  are  also  brought  together 
making  a  knot  like  Fig.  14.  This  knot  is  placed 
about  half  way  between  the  top  and  bottom  of 
the  basket,  with  the  long  ends  turning  up.  The 
short  ends  are  finished  off  by  weaving  one  to  the 
right  over  and  under  several  spokes  and  the  other 
to  the  left.  The  long  ends  are  twisted  together 
for  about  twelve  inches,  and  are  then  made  into 
another  knot  copied  from  the  first  one  for,  although 
the  process  cannot  be  the  same,  it  is  so  simple  that 
one  can  easily  follow  its  coils.  This  knot  is  placed 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  basket  from  the  first 
one  and  attached  in  the  same  way 


Work  Baskets 


CHAPTER  VII 

WORK    BASKETS 

As  almost  everyone  who  uses  a  work  basket  has 
a  different  ideal  of  what  such  a  basket  should  be? 
— in  regard  to  size,  capacity,  shape  and  ornament — 
these  descriptions  are  not  to  be  taken  as  directions, 
but  as  suggestions  which  each  basket  maker  can 
adapt  or  elaborate  upon.  In  this  way  he  can  work 
out  a  basket  suited  to  the  taste  and  needs  of  the 
person  by  whom  it  is  to  be  used. 

Small  Bowl  Shaped  Work  Basket 

Materials:  10  2 2 -inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  1 2 -inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
7  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

A  small  open  work  basket  which  is  pretty  and 
serviceable,  though  simple,  is  made  as  follows: 
Two  groups  of  spokes,  one  of  five  and  the  other 
of  five  and  a  half,  are  crossed  in  the  centre  in  the 
usual  way  and  bound  around  three  times  with  a 
weaver  of  No.  2  rattan,  which  is  woven  in  under- 
and-over  weaving  to  a  diameter  of  three  and  a  half 
65 


66  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

inches,  when  the  spokes  are  wet  and  turned  very 
gradually  upward  in  a  rounding  flare.  When  three 
weavers  and  part  of  a  fourth  have  been  used,  a 
fifth  weaver  is  started  beside  the  fourth  in  double 
weaving,  which  continues  for  five  rows.  The 
weavers  are  still  left  loose  enough  for  the  spokes 
to  flare,  and  when  the  band  of  double  weaving  is 
finished,  and  an  inch  of  under-and-over  weaving 
has  been  made  above  it,  the  diameter  of  the  top 
should  be  seven  and  five-eighths  inches.  It  is 
then  bound  off  and  finished  with  the  Rope  Border 
described  on  page  39.  The  whole  basket  may  be 
colored  with  a  vegetable  dye  or  stain,  (see  Chapter 
XII)  or  the  band  of  double  weaving  may  be  woven 
with  colored  rattan,  the  rest  of  the  basket  being 
of  rattan  in  its  natural  color.  As  the  border 
ends  inside  and  as  there  are  also  many  little 
ends  of  weavers  on  the  inside  which  would  be 
troublesome  in  a  work  basket,  a  lining  of  silk  in 
some  harmonious  color,  with  pockets  and  pin- 
cushion, will  make  it  more  practical. 

Travelling   Work  Basket  of  Raffia  and  Rattan 

Materials:     BASKET — 16  i8-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
1 1  or  1 2  lengths  of  colored  raffia, 

i  ^  weavers  of  No.  I  rattan. 

COVER  AND  HINGE — 16  i6-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
7  or  8  lengths  of  colored  raffia, 
>£  weaver  of  No.  I  rattan. 


WORK    BASKETS  6/ 

A  dainty  little  work  basket  just  large  enough  to 
hold  a  small  pair  of  scissors,  needles,  thread  and 
a  thimble  will  be  a  welcome  gift  to  some  globe- 
trotting friend.  Before  beginning  it  a  bunch  of 
raffia  should  be  dyed  a  pale  color  that  will  look  well 
with  the  rattan,  see  Chapter  XII.  Such  a  fine 
rattan  as  No.  I  is  not  always  obtainable,  it  is  so 
seldom  used,  but  in  a  tiny  basket  like  this  no 
heavier  material  will  look  as  well.  The  sixteen 
eighteen-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan  are  separated 
into  groups  of  four  each.  The  first  group  is  laid 
on  a  table  in  a  vertical  position.  Across  the  centre 
of  this  group  the  second  group  is  placed  horizontally 
exactly  at  its  centre,  the  third  group  crosses  the 
other  two  diagonally  with  its  upper  end  to  the 
right  of  the  upper  part  of  the  vertical  group  and  its 
centre  over  the  point  where  the  other  two  cross. 
The  fourth  group  is  laid  across  the  others  diag- 
onally, from  the  left  of  the  upper  part  of  the  vertical 
group  to  the  right  of  the  lower  part.  A  length  of 
raffia  is  then  doubled  and  started  around  the  upper 
part  of  the  vertical  group,  with  its  ends  toward  the 
right.  It  is  woven  in  pairing  to  about  seven-eighths 
of  an  inch  from  the  centre,  where  the  groups  are 
divided,  each  making  two  groups  containing  two 
pieces  of  rattan.  When  a  bottom  two  and  a  half 
inches  in  diameter,  and  slightly  raised  in  the  centre, 


68  HOW   TO    MAKE  BASKETS 

has  been  woven  the  groups  of  spokes  are  thoroughly 
wet  and  turned  up  with  a  slight  flare,  using  a  No.  i 
weaver  in  four  rows  of  pairing.  This  is  succeeded 
by  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  of  raffia  in  pairing, 
which  flares  for  three  quarters  of  an  inch  and  is 
then  drawn  in  gradually.  In  joining  the  ends  of 
two  weavers  of  raffia,  two  inches  at  least  of  the  old 
and  new  weaver  should  be  laid  one  on  top  of  the 
other,  twisted  tightly  together  and  woven  as  one 
strand ;  this  will  make  a  neater  joining  than  cross- 
ing the  ends  back  of  a  spoke.  The  band  of  four 
rows  of  pairing  in  No.  i  rattan  which  follows  the 
raffia  is  also  drawn  in  gradually,  making  a  firm  edge 
at  the  top  of  the  basket.  The  groups  of  spokes 
are  then  wet  and  woven  into  a  border  which  looks 
like  a  plait,  and  is  made  in  this  way.  Each  group 
of  two  spokes  is  brought_back  of  the  next  group  on 
the  right,  in  front  of  the  next  and  down  inside  the 
basket  just  behind  the  third  group  to  the  right  of 
it.  As  usual  in  this  kind  of  a  closed  border  the 
first  part  of  the  border  should  be  left  loose  and 
open  until  the  last  part  has  been  woven  in. 

Cover. — The  same  arrangement  of  groups  of 
spokes  is  made  in  starting  the  cover  as  in  the 
bottom  of  the  basket,  and  it  is  woven  in  pairing 
with  weavers  of  raffia,  turning  the  spokes  up  from 
the  very  centre  so  as  to  make  a  slightly  rounded 


WORK   BASKETS  69 

cover.  At  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  from  the  centre 
the  groups  of  four  are  divided  into  twos,  and  the 
pairing  with  raffia  continues  until  the  cover  is  three 
inches  in  diameter.  Two  rows  of  pairing  in  No.  I 
rattan  follow  the  raffia  and  they  are  succeeded  by  a 
single  row  of  raffia  and  a  border  like  the  one  on  the 
basket.  The  hinge  and  fastening  are  made  of 
raffia  and  rattan.  Three  strands  of  raffia  sixteen 
inches  long  are  braided  and  then  cut  into  two 
pieces ;  one  to  form  the  hinge  and  the  other  the 
top  loop  of  the  fastening.  The  hinge  is  made  by 
inserting  one  end  of  the  braided  raffia  under  a  loop 
of  the  border  to  the  left  of  a  group  of  spokes  on 
the  basket.  It  is  brought  outside  of  the  basket  on 
the  right  of  the  group  of  spokes.  Both  ends  are 
now  on  the  outside  of  the  basket  and  after  placing 
the  cover  on  the  basket,  to  see  where  it  will  fit  best, 
the  ends  are  brought  straight  up,  each  over  a  lower 
loop  in  the  border  of  the  cover  and  one  on  either 
side  of  a  group  of  spokes,  to  the  inside  of  the  cover. 
Here  the  ends  of  the  braid  are  crossed  and  woven 
to  right  and  left,  under  and  over  one  or  two  spokes, 
to  fasten  them  off. 

In  the  front  of  the  cover  an  end  of  the  other 
eight  inch  piece  of  braided  raffia  is  pushed  through 
to  the  inside,  on  the  left  of  a  group  of  spokes,  and 
just  above  a  lower  loop  of  the  border.  The  other 


7O  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKET:? 

end  is  brought  inside  to  the  right  of  the  group  of 
spokes ;  the  ends  are  then  drawn  up  until  the  loop 
on  the  outside  is  about  an  inch  long,  when  they  are 
crossed  and  woven  to  right  and  left  under  and  over 
one  or  two  spokes  to  fasten  them  securely.  A 
piece  of  No.  i  rattan,  about  twelve  inches  long,  is 
fastened  to  the  basket  just  below  the  loop  on  the 
cover  and  between  the  lowest  row  in  the  band  of 
rattan  and  the  top  of  the  woven  raffia.  It  is 
brought  up  vertically  and  pushed  inside  the  basket 
just  below  the  border,  making  the  foundation  for  a 
rattan  loop  which  is  formed  in  the  same  way  as  the 
small  side  handles  described  on  page  55.  Over 
this  rattan  loop  the  loop  of  braided  raffia  fits,  and  a 
piece  of  No.  5  rattan  an  inch  long  is  slipped 
through  the  rattan  loop  and  holds  the  cover  close. 
That  it  may  not  be  lost,  a  hole  is  bored  in  this 
piece  of  rattan  and  it  is  fastened  to  the  basket  by  a 
bit  of  raffia ;  one  end  of  which  is  tied  through  the 
hole  in  the  rattan,  the  other  secured  around  a 
spoke  about  an  inch  to  the  right  of  the  fastening. 

The  finishing  touch  of  daintiness  is  to  line  this 
basket  with  silk,  and  fit  into  the  hollow  in  the 
cover  a  round  needle-book  made  of  the  same  silk. 


SOME   WORK   BASKETS 

The  round  knitting  basket  in  the  foreground  is  of  rattan  in  the  natural  color,  as 
is  the  large  bowl-shaped  basket  on  the  right.  In  the  centre  is  a  small  travelling 
work  basket  of  pale  green  raffia,  and  on  the  left  a  green  rattan  basket  with  a  soft 
silk  top.  Above  is  shown  the  Chinese  button  or  knob  which  is  used  on  the  green 
rush  covered  basket 


WORK    BASKETS 


Large  Bowl  Shaped  Work  Basket 

Materials:     16  34-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
32  17-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
1  1  or  more  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

The  thirty-four-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan  are 
arranged  in  groups  of  four  and  crossed  in  the  cen- 
tre as  described  on  page  67.  A  single  weaver  is 
started  by  laying  the  end  over  the  group  to  the  left 
of  the  upper  end  of  the  vertical  group,  it  is  then 
brought  under  the 
vertical  group,  over 
the  next,  under  the 
next  and  so  on,  until  it 
comes  around  to  the 
vertical  group  again. 
Here  it  goes  under  as 
before,  over  the  next 
group  and  always 
under  and  over  the 


same    groups    as    at 

first.     The  weaver  is 

brought    around    four    times    in    this    way,    see 

Fig.  15.     The  groups  are  now  separated  into  twos, 

and  the  weaver  is  brought  over  the  left  hand  pair 

of  the  upper  vertical  group,  under  the  pair  on  the 

right,  and  so  on  until  it  comes  around  again  when 


72  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

it  is  brought  under  and  over  the  same  groups  as  in 
the  row  just  completed,  see  Fig.  15.  When  the 
fourth  row  has  been  made  in  this  way,  another 
weaver  is  added,  by  inserting  it  between  a  group  of 
spokes  and  the  band  of  weaving  which  covers  them, 
and  the  pairing  of  which  the  rest  of  the  basket  is 
to  be  woven  is  begun.  The  centre  being  woven  in 
a  design,  is  so  ornamental  that  rather  than  cover  it 
with  a  lining,  which  would  be  necessary  if  the  usual 


FIG.  16 

method  of  joining  weavers  was  followed,  the  end  of 
each  old  weaver  is  run  down  between  the  weaving, 
on  the  left  of  a  group  of  spokes,  and  the  end  of  the 
new  weaver  is  run  down  between  the  weaving  to 
the  right  of  the  same  group,  see  Fig.  16.  When 
the  bottom  of  the  basket  is  five  and  a  half  inches 
in  diameter,  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan  seventeen 
inches  long  are  inserted,  one  on  either  side  of  every 


WORK   BASKETS  73 

group  of  spokes,  making  four  pieces  of  rattan  in 
each  group.  These  are  again  divided  into  pairs  and 
spread  apart.  When  the  bottom  is  six  inches  in 
diameter,  the  groups  of  spokes  are  wet  and  bent 
gradually  upward.  The  basket  is  woven  into  a 
)owl  bhape  with  flaring  sides,  and,  when  about 
eleven  weavers  have  been  used,  the  top  should  be 
ten  inches  in  diameter.  The  ends  of  the  groups  of 
spokes  are  woven  into  a  border  as  follows :  In  the 
first  row  each  group  is  brought  under  the  next  one 
to  the  right,  over  the  next,  under  the  next  and  out- 
side of  the  basket.  In  the  second  row  each  end  of 
a  group  is  brought  under  the  next  end  on  the  right, 
over  the  next  and  then  pressed  inside  the  basket 
just  behind  the  third  group  of  spokes  from  where 
it  started.  The  third  row  is  made  by  bringing  each 
end  across  one  group  of  spokes  and  then  outside  of 
the  basket,  where  it  vs  cut  just  long  enough  to 
allow  it  to  lie  across  the  next  group. 

Covered  Work  Basket  of  Green  Rush 

Materials:     BASKET — 10  ao-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i  1 1 -inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
4  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
Flat  green  rush. 

COVER  AND  KNOB.—  8  ao-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  1 1 -inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
1 6  lo-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
4^  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
Flat  green  rush, 
A  knitting  needle. 


74  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

In  weaving  with  rush  or  raffia,  but  especially 
with  rush,  it  is  impossible  to  give  the  number  of 
pieces  necessary  to  make  a  basket,  because  of  the 
varying  length  and  thickness  of  the  material.  A 
caution  will  not  be  out  of  place  in  regard  to  soak- 
ing the  rush.  It  should  be  wet  just  long  enough 
to  prevent  its  breaking  when  woven.  As  it  is  a 
very  porous  material  it  absorbs  so  much  moisture 
if  left  too  long  in  water  that  it  shrinks  badly  when 
dry,  and  a  basket  that  was  quite  firm  when  woven 
may  become  loose  and  shaky  after  the  rush  is  dry. 
It  follows  of  course  that  rush  baskets  should  be 
very  tightly  woven,  each  weaver  pressed  down  on 
those  already  in  place,  and  sometimes,  after  the 
sides  are  finished,  the  weaving  is  bound  down  with 
string  or  linen  thread  (passed  between  the  spokes 
and  across  the  basket)  and  left  to  get  perfectly  dry 
before  the  border  is  made.  In  beginning  this  bas- 
ket two  groups  of  spokes,  one  of  five  and  one  of 
five  and  a  half,  are  crossed  in  the  centre.  A 
weaver  of  green  rush  is  bound  around  them  and 
woven  in  under-and-over  weaving  into  a  bottom  six 
and  three-quarters  inches  in  diameter  which  is 
slightly  raised  in  the  centre.  The  spokes  are  then 
wet  until  quite  pliable,  and  turned  sharply  upward, 
with  three  rows  of  triple  twist,  to  begin  the  straight 
Sides  of  the  basket.  Next  a.n  inch  and  a  quarter 


WORK    BASKETS  75 

of  rush  is  woven  in  under-and-over  weaving,  and 
five-eighths  of  an  inch  of  triple  twist  forms  a  firm 
band  at  the  top,  which  is  completed  with  this 
border.  Each  spoke  in  turn  is  brought  in  front  of 
the  spoke  on  the  left  and  down  inside  the  basket, 
where  it  is  cut  off  after  the  border  is  finished. 

Cover, — The  cover  is  woven  of  rush,  on  groups 
of  four  and  four  and  a  half  spokes,  until  a  centre 
four  inches  in  diameter  is  made,  when  sixteen  extra 
spokes  are  inserted,  from  the  under  side,  one  on 
the  right  of  each  spoke  but  one.  The  ends  of 
these  spokes  are  held  in  place  by  a  row  of  pairing 
in  rush,  the  spokes  being  separated  as  it  is  woven 
around.  The  under-and-over  weaving  with  rush 
then  continues  until  the  cover  is  seven  and  three- 
quarters  inches  in  diameter.  The  spokes  should 
next  be  thoroughly  wet  and  turned  sharply  up,  to 
make  the  straight  sides,  which  are  woven  in  triple 
twist  for  an  inch  and  a  quarter.  In  ending  the 
last  row  of  triple  twist  the  following  process  will  be 
found  more  satisfactory  than  the  usual  one.  When 
the  weaving  reaches  the  point  on  the  circumference 
of  the  basket  where  it  began,  each  of  the  three  ends 
is  cut  about  an  inch  and  a  quarter  beyond  the  last 
spoke  behind  which  it  was  brought.  Each  end  is 
then  pressed  down  on  the  left  of  the  next  spoke 
and  between  the  weaving.  The  border  is  a  simple 


76 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


one.  Each  spoke  is  brought  back  of  the  next 
spoke  on  the  left  ^and  out,  where  it  is  cut  slanting 
just  long  enough  to  allow  it  to  lie  across  the 
succeeding  spoke. 

Knob. — A  curious  little  button  or  knob,  by 
which  to  lift  the  cover,  is  copied  from  one  on  a 
Chinese  basket,  and  is  made  of  a  piece  of  No.  2 
rattan,  about  half  a  length.  The  rattan  is  soaked 
until  very  pliable  and  then  bent  into  a  loop,  like 
the  one  on  the  right 
of  Fig.  17,  leaving  an 
end  about  four  inches 
long.  This  loop 
should  be  a  little  over 
an  inch  across  the 
widest  part.  The  long 
end  of  the  rattan  is 
bent  into  another  loop 
of  the  same  size,  the 
end  being  brought 
under  the  short  end 
and  up  again,  see  Fig. 
17;  passing  over  the 
left  side  of  the  second 


FIG.  17 


loop,    under   the   left 


side  of  the  first  loop,  over  the  right  side  of  the 
second  loop,  under  the  right  side  of  the  first  loqp 


WORK   BASKETS  77 

and  around  to  the  right  or  inside  of  the  short 
end,  see  Fig.  18.  Here 
having  made  one  circuit 
it  follows  the  first  cir- 
cuit exactly,  close  to  it 
and  always  on  the  inside. 
When  the  weaver  has 
gone  around  four  times 
it  will  have  formed  a 
little  button  or  knob, 
with  a  small  opening  at 
the  top  and  a  larger  one 
underneath  ;  especially 
if  the  worker  keeps  this 
form  in  mind  as  he 
FIG' l8  molds  the  rattan.  The 

knob  is  attached  to  the  centre  of  the  cover  by  its 

two  ends. 

Napkin  Ring 

Material:     i  length  of  No.  4  rattan. 

A  length  of  heavier  rattan  may  be  made  into  a 
simple  and  most  useful  napkin  ring,  for  summer 
cottages  or  camps,  by  following  the  directions  for 
the  Chinese  knob  with  but  one  difference.  In 
making  the  second  circuit,  the  beginning  of  which 
is  shown  in  Fig.  1 8,  the  long  end  is  brought  on  the 


78  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

left  or  outside  of  the  short  end  and  continues 
around  on  that  side.  Five  circuits  may  be  made 
instead  of  four  if  the  ring  does  not  seem  firm 
enough  at  the  end  of  the  fourth.  The  ring  form 


FIG.  19. — Napkin  Ring 

must  of  course  be  in  mind  all  the  time,  so  that  it 
shall  be  molded  into  that  instead  of  the  knob  shape. 
It  may  be  finished  in  the  natural  color  or  stained 
(see  Chapter  XII). 

Knitting  Basket 

Materials:     16  32-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
10  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

Here  is  something  to  make  for  the  friend  who 
knits  or  crochets;  a  little  round  basket  that  will 
hold  her  ball  and  needles  and  the  piece  of  work 
too,  if  it  is  not  very  large.  The  sixteen  pieces  of 


WORK    BASKETS  79 

No.  2  rattan  are  separated  into  groups  of  four  each, 
which  are  crossed  in  the  Indian  way  already  de- 
scribed on  page  67.  Three  rows  of  pairing  are 
woven  in  No.  2  rattan,  and  then  the  groups  are 
separated  into  twos,  and  the  pairing  continues 
while  the  basket  is  shaped  as  nearly  round  as 
possible.  That  there  may  be  no  ends  of  weavers 
inside  the  basket,  to  catch  on  the  work,  the  method 
of  joining  weavers  described  on  page  72  is  used. 
At  the  widest  point,  when  half  of  the  fifth  weaver 
has  been  woven  in,  the  circumference  should  be 
about  sixteen  and  three-quarters  inches  ;  from  there 
it  is  gradually  drawn  in  until,  when  the  ninth 
weaver  has  been  used,  the  diameter  of  the  top  is 
about  four  and  a  half  inches.  Each  group  of 
spokes  is  then  brought  over  the  next  two  groups 
on  the  right,  back  of  the  third  group  and  outside. 
Wheii  this  row  is  finished  each  group  is  brought 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  basket  on  the  outside, 
to  a  point  an  inch  and  a  quarter  from  the  centre 
and  just  in  front  of  the  next  spoke  to  the  one  it 
last  went  behind,  where  it  is  drawn  through  two 
rows  of  weaving  to  hold  it  in  place.  These  outside 
groups  should  be  left  quite  loose  as  will  be  seen  in 
the  picture.  When  this  process  is  finished  (and  a 
knitting  needle  will  be  a  great  help  in  accomplishing 
it)  the  basket  is  turned  upside  down  and  two  rows 


8O  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

of  pairing  are  made  to  form  part  of  a  base ;  the  er-i 
of  each  group  is  then  brought  over  the  next  end  to 
the  right  and  pressed  down  inside  (where  they  are 
afterward  cut  short),  completing  the  base. 


Candy   Baskets 


CHAPTER   VIII 

CANDY    BASKETS 

CHILDREN  will  delight  in  weaving  baskets  of  this 
kind,  and  with  the  fine  grades  of  rattan,  with  rush 
in  its  beautiful  natural  shades,  and  raffia  which 
takes  color  so  well,  the  possibilities  for  dainty  little 
favors  and  effective  larger  baskets  are  endless. 

Candy  Basket  of  Rattan  with  a  Band  of  Color 

Materials :     10  2O-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

1  1 1 -inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
5  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 

2  weavers  of  No.  2  colored  rattan. 

Two  weavers  of  colored  rattan,  dyed  according 
to  one  of  the  descriptions  in  Chapter  XII,  form  the 
band  on  this  basket,  which  is  woven,  in  a  simple 
Indian  shape,  of  rattan  in  the  natural  color.  Two 
groups  of  spokes,  one  of  five  and  the  other  of  five 
and  a  half,  are  crossed  in  the  centre  and  bound 
around  three  times  with  No.  2  rattan  which  is 
woven  in  under-and-over  weaving  into  a  flat  bottom, 
about  six  and  a  quarter  inches  in  diameter.  The 
spokes  are  then  wet  thoroughly  and  turned  up, 
83 


84  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

rounding  them  gradually.  After  about  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  has  been  woven  up  the  sides,  two  colored 
weavers  are  woven  into  four  rows  of  double 
weaving,  which  are  drawn  in  slightly  toward  the 
top;  three  rows  of  under- and- over  weaving  in  No. 
2  rattan  are  also  slightly  drawn  in,  and  then  the 
top  is  bound  off  and  finished  with  this  border. 
Each  spoke  is  brought  back  of  the  next  one  on  the 
right,  in  front  of  the  next,  back  of  the  next  and 
then  out,  taking  special  care  to  leave  the  first 
spokes  loose  so  that  the  last  ones  can  be  easily 
woven  in.  They  are  then  cut  slanting  just  long 
enough  to  allow  each  to  lie  across  the  spoke  in 
front  of  it. 

Brown  Rush  Candy  Basket  with  Overlapping  Cover 

Materials:     BASKET. — 8  1 8-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

i  jo-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
1 6  Q-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

5  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 

Flat  brown  rush. 
COVER  AND  HANDLE — 8  i6-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

i  Q-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
1 6  8-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

i  12-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 

5  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 

Flat  brown  rush, 

A  knitting  needle. 

The  soft  shades  of  brown  in  the  rush,  combined 
with  rattan  in  its  natural  color,  harmonize  beautifully 


CANDY    BASKETS  S\ 

in  this  basket  which,  after  it  has  been  used  for 
candy,  may  be  lined  and  transformed  into  a  work 
basket  that  will  last  for  years.  The  eighteen-inch 
spokes,  in  groups  of  four  and  four  and  a  half,  are 
crossed  in  the  centre  and  a  length  of  brown  rush, 
previously  wet  until  pliable,  is  bound  about  them  in 
this  way :  The  end  is  started  back  of  the  upper 
vertical  spokes  and  lying  along  the  horizontal  ones, 
with  the  tip  toward  the  right.  It  is  then  brought 
in  front  of  the  upper  vertical  spokes,  down  back  of 
the  horizontal  ones  to  the  right,  in  front  of  the 
lower  vertical  ones,  then  diagonally  up  back  of  the 
centre  to  the  space  between  the  upper  vertical  spokes 
and  the  horizontal  ones  on  the  right ;  next  in  front 
of  the  horizontal  ones  on  the  right,  diagonally  up 
across  the  back  of  the  centre  to  the  space  to  the 
left  of  the  upper  vertical  spokes.  Then  down  in 
front  of  the  horizontal  spokes  on  the  left,  and  back 
to  the  space  on  the  right  of  the  upper  vertical 
spokes,  where  the  spokes  are  separated  and  the 
weaving  begins.  A  centre  three  and  three-quarters 
inches  in  diameter  is  woven  of  rush,  then  the  extra 
sixteen  spokes  are  inserted,  one  to  the  right  of 
every  spoke  but  one,  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  work, 
and  two  rows  of  triple  twist  in  No.  2  rattan  holds 
them  firmly  in  place  and  covers  the  joining.  Four 
rows  of  rush  are  woven,  and  the  spokes  are  wet 


86  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

until  perfectly  pliable,  when  they  are  turned  sharply 
up  and  the  weaving  of  the  sides  is  begun  with  half 
an  inch  of  triple  twist.  Five  rows  of  rush  in  under- 
and-over  weaving  follow  and  then  five-eighths  of  an 
inch  of  triple  twist  makes  a  firm  band  at  the  top.  The 
border  is  a  simple  one,  finished  inside  so  as  to  allow 
the  cover  to  slip  on  and  off  easily.  Each  spoke  is 
brought  in  front  of  the  next  one  to  the  left  and 
down  inside. 

Cover. — In  making  the  cover  the  spokes  are 
crossed  and  bound  as  they  were  in  the  basket.  A 
centre,  four  and  three-quarters  inches  in  diameter, 
is  woven  with  the  rush ;  the  sixteen  extra  spokes 
are  then  inserted,  as  in  the  basket,  and  bound 
firmly  with  two  rows  of  triple  twist.  Five  rows  of 
rush  are  woven  in  under-and-over  weaving  and  then 
the  spokes  are  thoroughly  wet  and  bent  up  sharply. 
Five-eighths  of  an  inch  of  triple  twist  in  No.  2 
weavers  makes  an  overlapping  edge,  which  should 
be  perfectly  straight  and  true.  In  ending  the  triple 
twist  the  method  described  on  page  75  is  recom- 
mended. A  border  is  made  by  bringing  each  spoke 
back  of  the  one  on  the  left  and  then  out.  A  small 
handle  by  which  to  lift  the  cover  is  formed  of  a 
piece  of  No.  4  rattan.  It  is  started  by  weaving  it 
under  and  over  two  or  three  spokes  near  the  centre, 
bringing  the  long  end  up  on  the  outside,  betweeC 


CANDY    BASKETS  8/ 

two  of  the  centre  spokes  just  beyond  the  binding, 
and  down  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  centre,  beyond 
the  place  where  it  is  bound  with  the  rush.  It  is 
brought  across  again  and  then  woven  under  and 
over  several  spokes  to  fasten  it.  This  makes  two 
loops  of  rattan  both  about  half  an  inch  high  and 
lying  close  together.  An  end  of  very  pliable  rush 
is  now  started  at  one  end  of  this  foundation  handle, 
on  the  right  of  it,  and  brought  over  and  around  the 
left  loop,  then  out  between  the  loops,  around  the 
right  loop,  out  again  between  the  loops  and  around 
the  left.  This  is  repeated  until  the  rattan  is  en- 
tirely covered  with  rush  (the  stitches  pressed  close 
together),  making  a  handle  which  is  quite  in  keeping 
with  the  rest  of  the  basket. 

Open    Work  Candy  Basket 

Materials:     24  3O-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
2  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

This  basket  is  a  popular  one,  not  at  all  difficult 
to  make,  and  with  a  pretty  little  lace  paper  doily 
by  way  cf  a  lining  it  holds  candy  very  well.  The 
twenty-four  pieces  of  rattan,  previously  soaked  until 
pliable,  are  separated  into  groups  of  six  each  which 
are  arranged  in  the  Indian  way  described  on  page 
67.  A  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan  is  doubled  arounc| 


88  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

the  upper  end  of  the  vertical  group,  with  its  ends 
toward  the  right.  It  is  woven  in  two  rows  of  pair- 
ing, starting  at  about  an  inch  from  the  centre.  A 
third  row  of  pairing  is  then  woven,  dividing  each 
group  into  groups  of  three  each.  The  ends  of  the 
weavers  are  finished  off  by  cutting  them,  at  about 
an  inch  beyond  the  end  of  the  third  row  of  pairing, 
and  pushing  each  through  a  loop  in  the  weaving  on 
the  wrong  side,  to  hold  it  fast.  Each  group  of  three 
spokes  is  then  brought  over  the  next  group  on  the 
right,  under  the  following  one,  over  the  next,  under 
the  next  and  outside  down  by  the  weaving,  making 
a  loop  about  two  and  a  half  inches  high  and  some 
long  ends  of  each  group.  The  first  loops  especially, 
should  be  left  loose,  so  that  the  last  two  or  three 
groups  can  be  easily  finished  off.  When  this  mat 
has  been  made  even  on  all  sides,  by  pulling  the 
loops  out  or  drawing  them  in,  it  is  molded  up  into 
a  bowl  shape  with  the  hands.  It  is  then  placed,  top 
downward,  on  the  worker's  knee  and  a  weaver  of 
No.  2  rattan  doubled  in  the  centre  is  started,  around 
the  end  of  a  group,  at  the  point  on  the  circum- 
ference of  the  basket  where  the  first  pairing  ended. 
Three  rows  of  pairing  are  woven  to  make  the 
beginning  of  a  base,  taking  care  not  to  draw  in  the 
groups  too  much,  but  to  keep  the  sides  of  the  base 
straight.  The  end  of  each  group  is  then  brought 


CANDY    BASKETS  89 

over  the  next  group  on  the  left,  and  pressed  down 
inside  the  base,  where  it  is  cut  off  afterward. 

Flat  Candy  Basket  with  Braided  Handle 

Materials :     BASKET. — 16  2o-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 

3  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 
HANDLE. —  6  22-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

This  basket  makes  a  charming  little  favor  for 
luncheon  or  dinner.  A  small  paper  doily  with  a 
lace  edge  may  be  laid  inside  and  the  candy  arranged 
upon  it.  The  centre  is  started  with  sixteen  twenty- 
inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan,  separated  into  four 
groups  of  four  each,  and  crossed  in  the  Indian  man- 
ner already  described  on  page  67.  The  weaver  is 
started  in  front  of  the  group  to  the  left  of  the  upper 
vertical  group.  It  then  goes  back  of  the  upper 
vertical  group,  in  front  of  the  next  group,  back  of 
the  next  and  so  on,  until  one  row  has  been  made. 
In  the  second,  third  and  fourth  rows  the  weaver  is 
brought  under  and  over  the  same  groups  as  in  the 
first  row,  but  in  the  next  row  it  is  first  brought  back 
of  the  upper  vertical  group  and  the  group  on  the 
right  of  it,  then  in  front  of  the  next  group,  back  of 
the  next  and  so  on.  Four  rows  are  woven  in  this 
way  and  then  the  groups  of  four  are  divided  into 
twos  and  the  weaver  is  brought  over  the  first 


9O  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

group  of  two  on  the  right  of  the  upper  vertical 
group,  under  the  second,  and  so  on.  The  next 
row  is  woven  under  and  over  the  same  groups,  but 
at  the  end  of  that  row  the  weaver  is  brought  be- 
hind two  groups,  and  the  weave  changes  again. 
It  is  now  in  groups  of  two  weavers  crossing  two 
spokes,  and  continues  in  this  way  till  the  basket  is 
finished.  New  weavers  are  joined  to  the  old  by 
whittling  the  end  of  each  to  a  flat  point  two  or 
three  inches  long.  These  points  are  held  close 
together  and  woven  along  like  a  whole  weaver. 
When  the  bottom  is  about  four  and  three-quarters 
inches  in  diameter,  a  braided  handle  is  made  and 
inserted  according  to  the  description  in  Chapter  VI, 
using  six  pieces  of  No.  2  weaver  twenty-two  inches 
long.  When  the  bottom  is  five  and  three-eighths 
inches  in  diameter  the  groups  of  spokes  are  wet 
and  turned  up  to  form  the  sides,  which  are  not 
over  half  an  inch  high.  The  border  is  the  same 
as  the  one  described  on  page  68,  only  it  is  drawn  in 
very  tightly  so  as  to  make  the  plait  lie  almost  flat. 
This  basket  may  be  colored  with  a  vegetable  dye, 
according  to  the  directions  in  Chapter  XII,  or 
it  may  be  left  the  natural  color  of  the  rattan. 


CANDY    BASKETS  91 

Basket    with    Hinge,    Handle    and 
Fastening    in    One 


Materials  :  BASKET  —  6  22-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  12-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
4  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

COVER,  HINGE,  ETC.  —  6  i8-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i   lo-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
3^  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

What  makes  this  basket  unusual  and  attractive 
is  the  hinge,  top-handle  and  fastening,  which  are  all 
formed  of  one  weaver  in  a  series  of  twists.  The 
basket  and  cover  are  simply  made.  Two  groups 
of  spokes,  twenty-two  inches  long,  one  of  three, 
and  the  other  of  three  and  a  half,  are  crossed  in 
the  centre,  bound  three  times  around,  and  woven 
into  a  bottom  two  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter. 
The  spokes  are  then  wet  and  bent  upward  with  a 
decided  flare  which,  when  four  weavers  have  been 
used,  should  make  the  diameter  of  the  top  about 
five  inches.  It  is  then  bound  off  and  finished  with 
this  border.  Each  spoke  in  turn  is  brought  back 
of  the  next  spoke  on  the  right,  in  front  of  the 
next,  back  of  the  next,  in  front  of  the  next,  and 
pressed  down  inside  the  basket.  This  being  such 
a  deep  border,  the  first  part  of  it  should  be  left 
loose  and  open,  that  the  last  spokes  may  be  fitted 


92  HOW   TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

into  place  without  any  trouble.  It  should  be  re- 
membered in  weaving  in  these  last  spokes  that 
each  time  a  spoke  crosses  another  it  goes  one  row 
farther  down  in  the  border,  until  at  last  it  lies  on 
the  weaving. 

Cover. — The  cover  is  begun  like  the  bottom  of 
the  basket,  except  that  it  is  flared  up  and  out  from 
the  very  centre.  Two  weavers  are  used,  and 
toward  the  end  of  the  second  the  spokes  are  flared 
until  they  lie  in  a  horizontal  position.  When  the 
diameter  is  five  and  a  quarter  inches  the  edge  is 
bound  off  and  finished  with  the  Rope  Border 
described  on  page  39. 

Hinge,  Top  Handle  and  Fastening* — A  weaver 
of  No.  2  rattan  is  cut  into  fourths,  these  are  then 
separated  into  pairs,  which  are  doubled  at  the 
centre  and  knotted  according  to  the  directions  on 
page  61.  This  knot  is  drawn  up  until  it  is  about 
two  inches  across.  It  is  then  placed  in  the  centre 
of  the  cover  with  the  ends  extending  over  the 
front  and  back  of  the  basket.  The  pairs  of  ends 
which  are  toward  the  back  of  the  basket  are 
crossed,  the  left  being  the  upper  one,  and  they  are 
pressed  down  through  the  cover,  one  on  either  side 
of  a  spoke,  and  between  the  last  row  of  weaving 
and  the  border.  Each  pair  is  now  brought  through 
a  loop  in  the  centre  of  the  border  of  the  basket, 


CANDY    BASKETS 

In  the  foreground  is  the  brown  rush  and  rattan  covered  basVet ;  directly  above  it  a 
smaller  basket  with  elaborate  hinge,  top  handle  and.fastenings  is  placed.  At  the  left 
is  an  attractive  Indian  shape  ornamented  with  a  pale-green  band.  The  shallow 
basket  on  the  right  makes  a  charming  favor  for  a  dinner  or  cotil'on. 


CANDY   BASKETS  93 

and  after  crossing  again  (the  right  over  the  left), 
they  are  fastened  off,  one  on  either  side  of  a  spoke 
at  about  half  an  inch  from  the  bottom.  The  hinge 
and  top  handle  are  then  completed.  To  make  the 
cover  fastening,  the  pairs  of  ends  toward  the  front 
are  crossed  (the  right  over  the  left),  and  brought 
down  between  the  first  and  second  rows  of  weaving 
from  the  edge,  one  on  either  side  of  a  spoke. 
They  are  crossed  again  at  about  an  inch  and  a  half 
below  the  edge  of  the  cover  (the  left  over  the 
right)  to  make  the  beginning  of  a  loop.  The  end 
on  the  right  is  now  brought  up,  back  of  the  right 
side  of  the  loop  and  through  it,  while  the  end  on 
the  left  is  brought  up  and  over  the  left  side  of  the 
loop.  They  cross  in  the  middle  of  the  loop  near 
the  edge  of  the  cover  (the  right  being  uppermost) 
and  are  finished  off,  one  on  each  side  of  the  spoke, 
and  between  the  border  and  the  last  row  of  weav- 
ing on  the  cover.  A  larger  ring  on  the  basket 
forms  the  other  part  of  the  fastening,  and  is  made 
as  follows :  Two  pieces  of  No.  2  weaver,  sixteen 
inches  long,  are  laid  together  and  bent  into  a  loop 
at  about  an  inch  from  the  middle  (the  ends  turning 
down)  by  crossing  the  right  pair  of  ends  over  the 
left.  Those  on  the  left  are  then  brought  under 
the  left  side  of  the  ring  and  out,  while  the  other 
pair  are  brought  over  the  right  side  of  the  ring 


94  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

and  in,  completing  a  ring  which  should  be  just 
large  enough  for  the  loop  on  the  cover  to  pass 
through.  The  ends  are  inserted,  one  pair  on  either 
side  of  a  spoke,  in  the  front  of  the  basket,  where 
they  cross  and  are  woven  to  right  and  left  between 
the  sixth  and  seventh  rows  of  weaving  below  the 
border,  or  just  where  the  loop  on  the  cover  will 
pass  through  the  ring  and  form  a  fastening. 

Basket  of  Coiled  Rattan   Wound  and  Decorated 
with  Raffia 

Materials:  BASKET— i  length   of  No.  4  rattan, 
A  bunch  of  raffia, 
A  bunch  of  orange  raffia, 
A  bunch  of  black  raffia, 
A  tapestry  needle,  No.  19. 

COVER  AND  HINGE — yz  a  length  of  No.  4  rattan, 
A  bunch  of  raffia, 
A  bunch  of  orange  raffia, 
A  bunch  of  black  raffia. 

Time  and  patience  might  be  added  to  the  above 
list,  for  it  will  take  a  good  stock  of  both  to  make 
this  basket.  The  result,  however,  should  be  pretty 
and  original  enough  to  compensate  for  it  all.  A 
length  of  No.  4  rattan  is  soaked  until  pliable.  The 
end  is  then  coiled  into  the  smallest  possible  ring  and 
a  needleful  of  raffia  is  started,  with  the  end  toward 
the  right,  in  the  centre  of  the  ring,  and  sewed  over 


CANDY    BASKETS  95 

and  over  from  left  to  right  with  a  tapestry  needle. 
The  next  coil  is  brought  around  at  a  little  distance 
(about  the  width  of  No.  4  rattan)  from  the  first 
one  and,  when  a  quarter  of  the  second  row  of  coil- 
ing has  been  made,  the  raffia  is  brought  down 
through  the  centre,  up  and  round  once  again,  thus 
holding  the  first  coil  to  the  second  by  a  joining, 
which  is  made  more  secure  by  binding  it  twice 
around  with  the  raffia  in  the  opposite  direction 
to  the  way  it  is  wound  around  the  rattan.  When 
the  coil  has  been  brought  half  way  around  the 
second  time  another  of  these  joinings  is  made. 
There  is  another  one  when  three-quarters  of  the 
row  has  been  coiled,  and  still  another  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  third  row  of  coiling.  The  next  joining 
should  be  just  to  the  right  of  the  first  one,  and 
from  that  on,  each  row  is  joined  to  the  next  at  the 
right  of  the  joinings  on  the  previous  row.  Thus 
these  joinings  form  a  pattern,  like  the  spokes  in 
the  all  rattan  baskets,  and  answering  the  same  pur- 
pose. As  the  coils  grow  larger  the  number  of 
joinings  must  of  course  be  increased,  for  the  same 
reason  that  extra  spokes  are  inserted  in  weaving, 
to  keep  the  work  firm.  This  is  done  by  putting 
one  between  each  of  the  other  joinings.  New 
needlefuls  of  raffia  are  always  started  at  a  joining. 
The  needle  brings  the  end  of  the  old  strand  from 


96 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


left  to  right,  through  the  upper  part  of  the  joining, 
leaving  the  end  lying  along  the  under  side  of  the 
rattan.  The  new  needleful  is  then  brought  from 
right  to  left  through  two  twists  of  the  raffia  and 
drawn  up  so  as  to  leave  a  short  end  lying  along  the 
rattan.  The  winding  then  begins  again  and  soon 


FIG.  20 

covers  both  ends.  At  the  end  of  the  tenth  coil 
the  rattan  is  brought  up  directly  above  that  coil, 
leaving  the  same  distance  between  the  new  coil 
and  the  one  below  it  as  there  was  between  the  other 
coils.  Each  coil  now  follows  just  above  the 
previous  one — making  a  straight-sided  basket,  eight 
coils  high.  The  ninth  coil  is  brought  just  inside 
the  eighth,  in  order  to  make  a  little  rim  for  the 
cover  to  rest  upon.  In  making  the  ninth  coil, 
when  about  two  and  a  quarter  inches  from  the 


CANDY    BASKETS  97 

point  on  the  circumference  of  the  basket  where 
the  coil  was  brought  up  to  form  the  sides,  the 
rattan  should  be  cut  just  long  enough  to  complete 
the  row  and  whittled  to  a  long,  flat  point,  which  is 
sewed  close  to  the  previous  row  of  coiling. 

Cover. — The  cover  is  wound  and  coiled  in  the 
same  way  as  the  bottom  of 
the  basket  as  far  as  the 
end  of  the  ninth  row  of 
coiling,  when  a  border  is 
made  by  bringing  the  tenth 
row  close  to  the  ninth  with 
the  stitch  shown  in  Fig.  20. 
The  extreme  end  of  the  Fia  2I 

rattan  is  whittled  to  a  long 
point  and  sewed  in  with  the  previous  row. 

The  designs  on  the  basket  and  cover  are  worked 
before  they  are  fastened  together.  Beginning  with 
the  basket — the  circumference  is  divided  into  fifths, 
and  a  line  of  black  thread  is  run  from  top  to 
bottom  of  the  basket,  at  each  of  the  five  points,  to 
form  a  centre  line  for  the  petal-shaped  design 
shown  in  Fig.  21.  The  design  may  also  be  out- 
lined in  black  basting  thread  or  done  by  eye,  in 
stitches  which  run  under  and  over  the  coils  like 
weaving,  except  that  the  raffia  is  brought  through 
the  previous  row  each  time  (instead  of  simply 


98 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


crossing  it)  between  the  coils.  The  design  on  the 
model  was  first  worked  in  orange  raffia,  and  then 
outlined  inside  with  two  rows  of  black.  The  de- 
sign on  the  cover  is  like  a  five-petalled  flower  (see 
Fig.  22),  and  after  it  has  been  worked,  the  cover  is 
placed  on  the  basket  so  that  the  end  of  each  petal 
will  come  in  the  space  between  two  of  the  petals 

,^<iT_  on  the  basket. 

-•*'"'  '^  Hinge*— The  place 

where  the  hinge  is  to 
be  made  on  the  basket 
having  been  decided 
upon,  a  ring  of  raffia 
is  formed  by  sewing  a 
strand  twice  around 
the  last  two  rows  of 
coiling  at  the  left  of 
a  joining,  and  cover- 
ing it  with  button-hole  stitch  in  raffia.  Another 
ring  is  made  on  the  right  of  the  joining  in  the  same 
way.  At  a  point  on  the  cover,  just  above  the  ring 
on  the  right,  a  needleful  of  raffia  is  attached,  run 
through  the  rings  and  then  around  the  last  row  of 
coiling  on  the  border.  It  is  drawn  up  until  it  forms 
a  loop  just  loose  enough  to  allow  the  cover  to  open 
easily,  when  it  is  covered  with  button-hole  stitch. 


FIG.  22 


Scrap   Baskets 


CHAPTER  IX 

SCRAP  BASKETS 

THERE  is  always  a  demand  for  a  strong,  practical 
scrap  basket,  and  if  it  is  a  thing  of  beauty  so  much 
the  better.  Simple  forms  are  the  best,  and  the 
study  of  Indian  baskets  will  help  the  workman  in 
his  choice.  The  straight-sided  scrap  basket  is  one 
of  the  most  satisfactory  if  the  material  used  is 
attractive  and  the  weaving  well  done. 

Rattan  and  Rush  Scrap  Basket 

Materials:     A  bunch  of  braided  green  rush, 
8  44-inch  spokes  of  No.  5  rattan, 
i  23-inch  spoke  of  No.  5  rattan, 
16  22-inch  spokes  of  No.  5  rattan, 
1 6  weavers  of  No.  3  rattan, 
A  knife, 
A  knitting  needle. 

In  using  such  heavy  spokes  as  No.  5  it  will  be 
hard  to  make  a  flat  bottom  unless,  instead  of  the 
usual  arrangement,  the  horizontal  spokes  are  slit  in 
the  centre  for  about  an  inch,  or  just  far  enough  to 
slip  the  vertical  spokes  through  them.  The  weaver 
101 


IO2  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

is  then  started  behind  the  upper  vertical  spokes 
in  the  usual  way,  and  bound  three  times  around 
before  beginning  to  weave.  When  the  bottom  is 
about  four  inches  in  diameter,  the  sixteen  short 
spokes,  previously  sharpened  to  a  point,  are  in- 
serted, one  on  the  right  of  each  of  the  spokes, 
except  one  (to  keep  the  uneven  number),  which  is 
closer  than  the  others.  The  spokes  are  then 
evenly  separated,  and  the  weaving  proceeds  till 
the  bottom  is  eight  inches  in  diameter,  when  the 
spokes  should  be  wet  until  pliable,  and  then  turned 
sharply  upward.  An  inch  of  triple  twist  forms  a 
band  at  the  base.  Just  here  it  may  be  said  that 
all  ornamental  weaving,  or  weaving  done  with  wide 
material,  like  rush,  should  begin  and  end  at  the 
same  point  on  the  circumference  of  the  basket. 
If  not,  as  will  readily  be  seen,  the  basket  will  be 
uneven  at  the  top.  The  rush,  which  has  been 
soaked  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  is  now  started 
behind  a  spoke  and  woven  in  under-and-over  weav- 
ing for  eight  inches.  If  it  is  necessary  to  join  the 
rush  at  any  time,  the  ends  should  be  crossed 
behind  a  spoke  and  sewed  firmly  together  with 
silk  matching  the  dull  green  of  the  rush.  In  this 
basket  it  will  take  care  to  keep  the  sides  straight 
and  true,  and  the  spokes  at  an  even  distance  apart. 
Constant  criticism  of  the  work  from  a  distance  is 


SCRAP    BASKETS  I 03 

the  only  sure  way  to  make  such  large  baskets 
symmetrical.  There  are  two  inches  of  triple  twist 
at  the  top,  which  makes  a  firm  rim,  and  the  basket 
is  finished  with  the  following  border :  After  the 
spokes  have  been  soaked  until  quite  pliable,  a  small 
piece  is  cut  out  of  the  right  side  of  each  one, 
close  to  the  weaving.  This  acts  as  a  hinge,  pre- 
venting the  spokes  breaking  when  they  are  bent 
sharply  down.  This  border  is  in  two  rows ;  that 
is,  the  circuit  of  the  basket  is  made  twice,  each 
time  using  a  different  process. 

In  the  first  row  each  spoke  is  brought  back  of 
two  spokes  and  then  out. 

In  the  second  row  the  end  of  each  spoke  is 
brought  under  two  ends,  and  then  pushed  down 
inside  the  basket  under  the  third  end,  and  just 
back  of  an  upright  spoke. 

Rattan    Scrap    Basket   with    Broad   Band    Near 
the  Base 


Materials'-     8  46-inch  spokes  of  No.  5  rattan, 
i   24-inch  spoke  of  No.  5  rattan, 
1 6  23-inch  spokes  of  No.  5  rattan, 
22  weavers  of  No.  3  rattan, 
4  weavers  of  No.  3  green  rattan, 
A  pair  of  scissors, 
A  knitting  needle, 
A  knife, 


IO4  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

The  bottom  of  this  basket  is  started  as  in  the 
directions  for  the  rattan  and  rush  basket,  except 
that  in  this  one  the  bottom  is  much  smaller,  being 
only  five  and  three-quarters  inches  in  diameter. 
The  spokes  are  then  wet  and  turned  up  with  a 
slight  flare. 

When  six  full  length  weavers  have  been  used  in 
under-and-over  weaving,  a  row  of  triple  twist  is 
made  and  then  two  green  weavers,  stained  accord- 
ing to  the  directions  in  Chapter  XII,  are  started  in 
double  weave  to  make  the  band,  which  should  be 
two  inches  wide  and  will  take  four  weavers.  A 
row  of  triple  twist  makes  a  finish  on  the  upper 
edge  of  the  band  and  the  under-and-over  weaving 
begins  again,  gradually  flaring  until  when  it  meas- 
ures five  inches  from  the  top  of  the  band  it  is 
thirty-six  and  a  half  inches  in  circumference.  The 
spokes  are  then  bent  in,  and  the  weaver  drawn 
tightly  until  an  inch  and  a  half  has  been  woven 
from  the  turn,  when  it  is  bound  off  and  a  border  is 
made  as  follows :  After  soaking  the  spokes  till  they 
are  pliable,  a  small  piece  is  cut  from  the  right  side 
of  each  near  the  weaving,  as  previously  described. 

This  border  is  in  three  rows.  In  the  first  row 
each  spoke  is  brought  back  of  the  next  spoke  and 
then  out.  In  the  second  row  each  spoke  is  brought 
back  of  the  two  succeeding  ones  and  then  out.  It 


SCRAP    BASKETS  10$ 

must  be  remembered  in  this  process  that  the  back 
spoke  of  the  pair,  made  by  bringing  the  previous 
spoke  through,  is  always  the  one  to  use.  In  the 
third  row  each  end  of  a  spoke  is  brought  over  two 
spokes  and  pushed  down  inside  the  basket  just 
behind  the  next  spoke. 

Rattan  Scrap  Basket  with  Broad  Band 
Near  the   Top 

Materials :     8  46-inch  spokes  of  No.  5  rattan, 
i  24-inch  spoke  of  No.  5  rattan, 
1 6  23-inch  spokes  of  No.  5  rattan. 
26  weavers  of  No.  3  rattan, 

3  weavers  of  No.  4  rattan, 

4  weavers  of  No.  3  terra-cotta  rattan, 
A  knife, 

A  knitting  needle. 

This  basket  is  started  in  the  same  way  as  the 
others,  by  slitting  the  horizontal  spokes  and  slip- 
ping the  vertical  ones  through  them,  then  insert- 
ing the  extra  spokes  when  the  bottom  is  large 
enough  to  admit  them.  When  the  bottom  is  five 
and  three-quarters  inches  in  diameter  the  side 
spokes  are  wet  and  turned  up  and  rows  of  under- 
and-over  weaving  are  formed  into  a  bowl  shape, 
which  reaches  thirty-five  inches  in  circumference 
at  its  widest  point.  The  spokes  are  then  gradu- 
ally drawn  in  by  tightening  the  weavers  until 


106  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

where  the  band  at  the  top  begins  (about  nine  and 
three-quarters  inches  from  the  bottom) ;  the 
diameter  is  not  over  nine  and  a  half  inches.  Be- 
fore starting  the  band  a  row  of  triple  twist  in  No. 
4  rattan  is  made  and  then  the  colored  weavers, 
stained  according  to  directions  in  Chapter  XII, 
are  woven  in  double  weaving  into  a  band  two 
inches  wide.  Another  row  of  triple  twist  in  No.  4 
rattan  finishes  the  band,  and  two  weavers  of  No.  3 
make  a  slightly  flared  edge  in  under-and-over 
weaving,  which  is  bound  off  and  completed  with 
this  border. 

The  spokes  are  soaked  and  cut  as  in  the  pre- 
vious descriptions.  There  are  two  rows  in  this 
border,  and,  as  the  second  row  is  rather  compli- 
cated, the  beginning  of  that  row  should  be  left 
quite  loose  and  open  until  the  row  is  finished ; 
enabling  the  worker  to  fit  in  the  last  three  or  four 
spokes  in  the  border  accurately  and  easily.  In  the 
first  row  the  spokes  are  each  brought  back  of  the 
two  succeeding  spokes  and  then  out. 

In  the  second  row  the  end  of  each  spoke  is 
brought  under  two  ends,  then  over  two  and  then 
down. 


SCRAP   BASKETS  IO/ 

Small  Scrap  Basket  for  Desk  or  Table 

Materials  :     10  26-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

1  14-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
9  or  10  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 

2  weavers  of  No.  2  green  rattan. 

A  small  basket  to  stand  on  a  desk  or  table  and 
catch  bits  of  thread  or  a  letter,  hastily  torn  up,  is  a 
convenience  the  housekeeper  will  appreciate.  One 
that  is  quite  decorative  as  well  as  useful  is  made  as 
follows:  A  flat  bottom,  two  and  seven-eighths 
inches  in  diameter,  is  woven  on  ten  and  a  half 
spokes  twenty-six  inches  long.  The  spokes  are 
wet  until  pliable  and  turned  up  with  a  flare.  The 
under-and-over  weaving  continues  up  the  sides  for 
half  an  inch,  and  then  a  row  of  double  weaving  in 
green  rattan  makes  a  narrow  band.  The  sides, 
still  flaring,  are  woven  in  under-and-over  weaving 
for  two  and  a  half  inches  more ;  then  another  row 
of  double  weaving  in  green  is  followed  by  four 
rows  of  double  weaving  in  the  natural  colored  rat- 
tan. A  row  of  double  weaving  in  green  comes 
next,  completing  the  ornamental  band  at  the  top, 
and  after  two  rows  of  under-and-over  weaving  in 
the  natural  colored  rattan  have  been  woven  the 
circumference  of  the  basket  should  be  twenty-two 
and  three-quarters  inches.  The  spokes  are  then 
thoroughly  wet  and  drawn  in  by  tightening  the 


IO8  -HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

weaver.  An  inch  more  of  under-and-over  weaving 
draws  the  spokes  in  further  with  each  row,  follow- 
ing the  model  in  the  picture.  The  basket  is  then 
bound  off  and  finished  with  this  border.  Each 
spoke  is  brought  over  the  spoke  on  the  right, 
under  the  next  one,  over  the  next,  under  the  next 
and  then  out  where  it  rests  on  the  spoke  ahead, 
and  is  cut  off  when  the  border  is  completed.  In 
this,  as  in  other  elaborate  borders,  the  first  part  is 
left  loose  and  open  until  the  last  spokes  have  been 
woven  in. 

Small  Scrap  Basket  with  Straight  Sides 

Materials :     8  26-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I   14-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
8  or  10  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
6  strands  of  raffia  braided  and  colored. 

Another  scrap  basket  for  a  desk  or  table  is 
woven  on  eight  and  a  half  twenty-six  inch  spokes. 
A  flat  bottom  three  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter 
is  first  made ;  the  spokes  are  then  thoroughly  wet 
and  turned  sharply  upward  with  about  half  an  inch 
of  triple  twist  to  begin  the  straight  sides.  Two 
and  a  half  inches  in  under-and-over  weaving  con- 
tinue the  sides,  then  three  rows  of  braided  raffia 
(colored  with  terra-cotta  stain — see  Chapter  XII) 
make  an  effective  band,  which  is  followed  by 


SCRAP    BASKETS  IOQ 

another  two  and  a  half  inches  of  under-and-over 
weaving  in  rattan  and  half  an  inch  of  triple  twist 
to  form  the  edge.  The  border  is  made  in  two 
rows.  In  the  first  row  each  spoke  is  brought  back 
of  the  next  one  on  the  right  and  then  out,  and  in 
the  second  row  each  end  is  brought  back  of  the 
next  two  spokes  on  the  right  and  out,  where  it  is 
cut  just  long  enough  to  lie  against  the  spoke 
ahead. 


Birds'   Nests 


CHAPTER   X 

BIRDS'  NESTS 

AT  the  Bird  Market  in  Paris  fascinating  little 
nests  are  sold.  They  are  woven  on  spokes  of 
twigs  with  weavers  of  rush.  Why  should  not 
American  children,  who  are  learning  to  know  and 
love  the  birds,  make  these  inviting  houses  and 
hang  them  in  the  branches  of  trees  for  the  wrens  and 
other  bird  neighbors  to  settle  in  ?  Of  course  they 
must  be  inconspicuous  in  material  and  finish,  for  no 
self-respecting  and  self -preserving  bird  would  choose 
a  gaily  colored  or  decorated  nest.  So  it  will  be 
wise  to  make  use  of  all  the  natural  materials  we 
can  find — rush  and  rafHa  and  perhaps  even  willow 
twigs  and  grasses ;  and  when  we  use  rattan  let  us 
stain  it  with  dull  shades  of  brown,  green  or  gray. 

Green  Rush  Bird's  Nest 

Materials:     6  1 4-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
i  8-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 
%  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan, 
Green  rush, 
I  strand  of  raffia, 
A  piece  of  wire  6  inches  long  about  the  size 

of  No.  i  rattan, 
A  pair  of  pliers. 


114  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

Flat  rush  in  its  natural  color,  dull  green,  is  used 
in  weaving  this  little  nest  which  will  be  soft  and 
comfortable  and  suggestive  of  meadows  and  quiet 
streams  to  the  fortunate  bird  who  finds  it.  It  is 
begun  in  the  same  way  as  the  first  baskets,  with  two 
groups  of  spokes  crossed  in  the  centre.  A  weaver 
of  rush  is  bound  around  the  spokes  twice,  then 
another  weaver  is  started  and  the  nest  is  woven  in 
pairing  into  a  bowl  shape  which,  at  about  two  and 
a  half  inches  from  the  centre,  should  be  eleven 
inches  in  circumference.  This  is  the  widest  point. 
A  row  of  pairing  in  No.  2  rattan  is  next  woven  and 
then  the  doorway  is  made.  A  weaver  of  rush  is 
started  in  under-and-over  weaving  and  woven  until 
it  comes  to  the  part  of  the  nest  which  has  been 
chosen  for  the  front.  Here  it  is  doubled  back 
around  a  spoke  and  woven  from  right  to  left  until 
it  comes  to  the  second  spoke  to  the  right  of  the 
one  it  first  doubled  around.  It  is  brought  around 
this  spoke,  thus  making  the  beginning  of  a  doorway, 
having  an  unused  spoke  in  the  centre  of  it.  The 
weaver  then  returns  to  the  spoke  it  first  doubled 
around,  where  it  doubles  back  again;  and  this  is 
repeated  until  the  weaver  has  been  brought  around 
five  times  on  each  side  of  the  doorway,  the  spokes 
being  slightly  drawn  in  each  time,  so  as  to  make 
the  wigwam  shape  shown  in  the  picture.  After 


BIRDS     NESTS 


the  weaver  has  been  brought  around  the  spoke  on 

the  right  of  the  doorway  the  fifth  time,  at  the  point 

where  the  under-and-over  weaving  began,  a  second 

weaver  is  started  and  the  nest  is  finished  in  pairing. 

The  more  slender  rushes  are 

used  near  the  top  so  that  the 

spokes  can  be  drawn  in  very 

closely.      The   spoke   in  the 

centre  of  the  doorway  is  now 

cut  close  to  the  weaving  at 

the  bottom  of  the  opening  and 

after    it   has  been  wet  until 

pliable  it  is  bent  and  pushed 

up  between  the   weaving   of 

the  upper  part   of  the  nest, 

beside    its    own   upper   end. 

A  strand  of  raffia  is   wound 

several  times  around  the  ends 

of  the  spokes  at  the  top  and 

tied  in  a  loop  by  which  the 

nest  may  be  suspended  from 

a  convenient  branch.     A  nest 

like   this    is    often    hung    in    an    aviary  or  cage 

and  when  it  is  to  be  used  in   this    way   a    hook 

made   as   follows   is   inserted   at  the  back  of  the 

nest.       A  piece  of  wire,  about  as  thick  as  No.  i 

rattan  and  six  inches  long,  is  bent  into  a  shape  like 


FIG.  23 


Il6  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

Fig.  23,  and  pushed  in  between  the  weaving  at  the 
back  of  the  nest  (from  the  outside)  at  about  an  inch 
and  a  half  from  the  centre.  It  passes  up  behind 
four  or  five  rows  of  weaving,  the  ends  coming  out 
just  below  the  row  of  pairing  in  No.  2  rattan,  where 
they  are  bent  down  to  form  a  hook  or  pair  of 
hooks. 

Rattan  Bird's  Nest  with  Raffia  fop 

Materials :     8  20-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i  n-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
4^  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
i  strand  of  raffia, 
A  knitting  needle. 

In  starting  this  nest  the  spokes  are  crossed  and 
bound  as  for  a  basket,  except  that  from  the  very 
centre  they  are  turned  up  in  a  bowl  shape.  It  is 
woven  in  undcr-and-over  weaving  in  No.  2  rattan 
until  at  three  inches  and  a  quarter  from  the  centre 
it  measures  fourteen  inches  in  circumference. 
Here  a  doorway  is  made  as  already  described, 
except  that  two  spokes,  instead  of  one,  are  left  un- 
used in  the  middle  of  the  doorway,  making  a  larger 
opening,  and  the  weavers,  which  are  doubled  back 
to  form  the  doorway,  turn  thirteen  times.  As  in 
the  green  rush  nest  the  spokes  are  drawn  in  by 
tightening  the  weavers  from  the  bottom  of  the 


BIRDS'  NESTS 

The  large  nests  in  the  foreground  are  of  rattan.  The  small  one  on  the  right  is 
of  brown  rush,  the  nest  above  it  is  of  raffia  woven  on  rattan  spokes,  and  the  one 
on  th^  left  is  made  of  a  gourd  covered  with  a  netting  of  raffia 


BIRDS'  NESTS  117 

doorway  up  to  the  top  of  the  nest,  where  they 
come  together  like  the  poles  of  a  wigwam.  At 
about  an  inch  and  three-quarters  from  the  top  of 
the  doorway  the  spokes  come  so  close  together  that 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  use  a  rattan  weaver,  so  a 
strand  of  raffia  is  started  in  under-and-over  weav- 
ing and  woven  for  an  inch  and  a  quarter  into  a  soft 
roof.  The  two  unused  spokes  in  the  doorway  are 
next  cut  close  to  the  weaving,  at  the  top  and  bot- 
tom of  the  opening,  and  a  rattan  ring,  by  which  to 
hang  the  nest,  is  made  as  follows :  Half  a  weaver 
of  No.  2  rattan,  which  has  been  wet  until  perfectly 
pliable,  is  passed,  from  the  outside,  through  the 
top  of  the  nest  just  under  the  last  row  of  rattan, 
and  out  on  the  opposite  side.  Here  it  is  tied 
through  the  other  end  of  the  weaver  into  a  ring 
three  and  three-quarters  inches  in  diameter.  The 
ends  are  twisted  around  and  around  this  foundation 
ring,  as  described  on  page  39,  three  or  four  times, 
passing  through  the  top  of  the  nest  in  each  circuit 
until,  when  the  ring  is  thick  enough,  each  end  is 
brought  under  one  spoke,  over  another,  and  then 
cut  short  and  pressed  inside  the  nest.  It  should 
be  finished  with  a  coat  of  creosote  shingle  stair  in 
gray,  dull  green  or  brown. 


Il8  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

Raffia  and  Rattan  Bird's  Nest 

Materials:     8  1 4-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
I  8-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 
1%,  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  bunch  of  raffia, 
A  tapestry  needle,  No.  19. 

A  nest  which  has  the  scent  of  the  woods  about 
it  is  woven  of  raffia  and  rattan.  It  is  soft,  light 
and  firm,  and  as  pretty  as  can  be.  Two  groups  of 
spokes,  one  of  four  and  the  other  of  four  and  a 
half,  are  crossed  in  the  centre,  bound  three  times 
with  a  strand  of  raffia  and  woven  in  under-and- 
over  weaving  into  a  bottom  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
diameter.  Here  another  weaver  is  added  and  an 
inch  of  pairing  woven,  forming  the  bottom  into  a 
bowl  shape  with  sides  rounding  up  from  the  very 
centre.  A  row  of  pairing  in  No.  2  rattan  is  next 
woven,  to  hold  the  slippery  raffia  firmly  in  place. 
This  is  followed  by  five-eighths  of  an  inch  of  raffia 
in  pairing,  the  sides  still  being  flared.  Then  two 
rows  of  pairing  in  No.  2  rattan  are  woven,  drawing 
the  spokes  in  very  slightly.  At  this  point,  the 
widest,  the  nest  should  measure  eleven  inches  in 
circumference.  A  row  of  under-and-over  weaving 
is  started,  and  at  the  place  chosen  for  the  doorway 
the  weaver  is  doubled  back  on  two  spokes,  one  on 
either  side  of  a  spoke  in  the  centre  of  the  door- 


BIRDS'    NESTS  119 

way,  and  a  doorway  is  formed  as  in  previous  de- 
scriptions. The  weavers  are  doubled  around  the 
spokes  which  form  the  sides  of  the  doorway  eight 
times.  Two  rows  of  pairing  in  No.  2  rattan  are 
then  woven  all  the  way  around,  forming  a  firm  top 
for  the  doorway  where  they  cross  it.  The  spokes 
are  drawn  in  closer  and  closer  with  rows  of  pairing 
in  raffia  until,  when  an  inch  and  a  half  has  been 
woven,  they  meet  at  the  top.  They  are  left  un- 
even lengths  and  bound  around  several  times  with 
a  strand  of  raffia,  threaded  through  a  tapestry 
needle.  A  loop  made  of  two  strands  of  raffia, 
five  and  a  half  inches  long,  is  then  covered  close 
with  button-hole  stitch  in  raffia,  which  makes  it 
neat  and  strong  enough  to  hold  the  picturesque 
little  nest  securely  in  place.  The  spoke  in  the 
centre  of  the  doorway  should  be  cut,  at  the  lower 
part  of  the  opening  just  above  the  weaving,  and, 
after  it  has  been  wet  until  quite  pliable,  bent  and 
pressed  up  beside  the  upper  part  of  the  same 
spoke  between  the  weaving.  A  hook,  like  the  one 
previously  described,  may  be  added  if  the  nest  is 
to  be  hung  in  a  cage  or  aviary. 


I2O  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

Rattan  Bird's  Nest  witJi   Tivisted  Handle 

Materials:     NEST — 6  24-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
I  13-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
'    6^  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
HANDLE — I  1 5-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

This  nest  is  larger  than  any  of  the  others  de- 
scribed in  this  chapter,  and  is  not  closed  at  the  top 
in  the  wigwam  shape.  The  bottom  is  more  like  a 
basket  than  those  of  the  other  nests,  being  woven, 
in  under-and-over  weaving,  into  a  flat  centre  two 
inches  in  diameter.  The  spokes  are  then  wet  until 
quite  pliable  and  turned  upward  with  a  very  slight 
flare  for  about  five-eighths  of  an  inch,  where  they 
are  flared  much  more,  and  the  weaver  is  left  quite 
loose  until  about  two  inches  more  have  been  woven, 
when  the  circumference  should  measure  seventeen 
inches.  From  here  the  spokes  are  gradually  drawn 
in,  with  a  tightened  weaver,  and  at  about  three 
inches  from  the  bottom  the  doorway  is  formed. 
The  weavers  on  either  side  of  the  doorway  are 
doubled  back  eleven  times,  drawing  them  in  slightly 
each  time.  Two  inches  and  a  quarter  of  weaving 
are  made  above  the  doorway  and  then,  when  the 
opening  at  the  top  is  about  two  inches  in  diameter, 
it  is  bound  off  and  finished  with  this  border.  The 
spokes  having  been  wet  until  they  are  thoroughly 


BIRDS'    NESTS  121 

pliable,  each  is  brought  back  of  the  next  one  on 
the  right,  in  front  of  the  next  and  then  down 
inside  the  nest.  A  handle  is  made  in  this  way. 
The  ends  of  the  fifteen-inch  spoke  are  inserted, 
one  on  either  side  of  the  nest,  at  about  three  and 
three-quarters  inches  from  the  top,  beside  a  spoke. 
On  this  foundation  a  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan  is 
wound,  as  described  on  page  53,  making  a  twisted 
handle.  The  nest  is  then  colored  a  wood-brown 
with  creosote  shingle  stain. 

Bird's    Nest    Made    of  a     Gourd    Covered    with 
Knotted  Raffia 

Materials :     A  round  gourd  about  1 1  y2  inches  in  circumference, 
A  bunch  of  raffia, 

A  flat  stick  about  i  inch  wide  and  ^  a  yard  long, 
A  tapestry  needle,  No.  19, 
A  pair  of  scissors. 

The  negroes  in  the  South  often  nail  gourds  to 
poles  and  trees  for  the  birds  to  nest  in.  Borrow- 
ing their  idea,  why  not  inclose  a  gourd  in  knotted 
raffia,  suspending  it  by  a  soft  handle  of  braided 
raffia,  which  can  be  so  twisted  as  to  hold  the  nest 
at  the  angle  best  calculated  to  suit  its  tenants? 
If  you  are  so  fortunate  as  to  have  a  gourd  vine 
growing  in  your  garden  the  most  important  part  of 
this  nest  will  be  easily  obtained.  If  not,  however, 
you  can  probably  buy  one  for  a  few  cents  at  a 


122  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

shop  where  natural  curiosities  are  sold.  The  one 
in  the  picture  came  from  such  a  shop,  but  then  it 
had  a  long,  twisted  handle.  This  was  cut  short, 
and  then  fourteen  strands  of  raffia  were  knotted 
around  a  stick,  as  described  in  the  directions  for  a 
knotted  work  bag  in  Chapter  II.  When  five  rows 
of  knotting  had  been  completed,  the  work  was 
slipped  off  and  finished.  A  strand  of  raffia  was 
next  passed  through  the  lowest  meshes  and  drawn 
up  tight.  The  ends  of  the  strands  were  cut  close 
at  the  bottom,  and  after  two  small  holes  had  been 
made,  half  an  inch  apart,  through  the  soft  gourd  at 
about  quarter  of  an  inch  from  the  edge  and  exactly 
opposite  the  stump  of  the  handle,  the  knotted  bag 
was  drawn  up  over  the  gourd  and  fastened  by 
passing  a  mesh  of  the  first  row  over  the  handle. 
It  was  further  secured  by  threading  a  strand  of 
raffia  through  the  loops  at  the  top  of  the  knotted 
bag,  drawing  it  up  close  around  the  opening  at  the 
top  and  passing  the  ends  through  the  holes  in  the 
front  of  the  gourd,  where  they  were  firmly  tied. 

A  braided  handle  was  made  as  follows:  Six 
strands  of  raffia,  doubled  in  the  centre,  were 
braided  until  the  braid  (each  strand  of  which  was 
made  of  four  strands  of  raffia)  was  long  enough  to 
reach  up  (from  the  outside)  through  the  hole 
where  the  handle  was  cut  off,  out  over  the  edge  of 


BIRDS'  NESTS  123 

the  gourd  and  back  to  the  starting  point,  where  it 
was  passed  through  the  loop  in  the  end  of  the 
braid.  Here  it  was  braided  in  two  plaits,  three 
inches  and  a  quarter  long,  which  were  brought 
over  in  a  double  handle  to  the  edge  of  the  gourd, 
where  the  strands  were  all  united  again  in  one 
braid.  This  was  brought  down  for  about  an  inch 
inside  of  the  gourd,  where  it  was  tied  fast  to  the 
first  braid  and  the  ends  cut  short,  completing  this 
curious  little  nest. 


Oval   Baskets 


CHAPTER  XI 

OVAL    BASKETS 

THE  chief  difference  between  the  round  baskets 
we  have  been  weaving  and  these  oval  ones  is,  of 
course,  in  the  centre  (a  notable  exception  being 
the  Japanese  basket  on  page  133,  which  slopes 
gracefully  up  from  the  sides  to  the  ends),  so  that 
the  aim  in  this  chapter  is  to  give  the  worker  as 
great  a  variety  in  the  pattern  and  form  of  these 
centres  as  possible. 

English  Oval  Basket 

Materials :     BASKET — 6  6-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
I  3-inch  spoke  of  No.  3  rattan, 
64  14-inch  spokes  of  No.  3  rattan, 
6  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
Brown  rush. 

HANDLE — 2  35-inch  pieces  of  No.  4  rattan, 
Brown  rush, 
A  knitting  needle. 

The  six  six-inch  spokes  are  separated  into  pairs 
and  laid  on  a  table  horizontally,  leaving  an  inch 
between  each  pair.  The  short  spoke,  three  inches 
long  (which  is  cut  pointed  at  each  end),  is  laid  ver- 


128  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

tically  under  the  middle  pair  and  in  the  centre  of 
it,  with  its  ends  over  the  other  two  pairs.  A 
weaver  is  then  started,  at  the  left  of  the  short 
spoke,  with  its  short  end  extending  about  five 
inches  below  the  lowest  pair;  it  is  woven  under 
the  lowest  pair  of  spokes,  over  the  middle  and 
under  the  upper  pair.  Another  weaver  is  started 
at  the  left  of  the  first,  leaving  a  short  end  five 
inches  below  the  lowest  pair  of  spokes,  and  this 
goes  over  the  lowest,  under  the  middle  and  over 
the  upper  pairs  of  spokes.  A  second  pair  of 
weavers  is  started  in  the  same  way  at  the  right  of 
the  short  spoke,  only  with  their  ends,  five  inches 
long,  turning  up  instead  of  down.  These  short 
ends  are  used  as  spokes  later  on.  The  weavers  at 
the  right  of  the  centre  are  woven  across  the  pairs 
of  spokes  in  under-and-over  weaving,  as  the  first 
two  weavers  were.  The  sides  are  then  pressed 
closely  in  together,  forming  the  centre  of  an  oval 
bottom,  which  is  held  in  the  left  hand  while  the 
right  weaves.  The  inner  weaver  on  the  left  is 
brought  over  the  short  ends  of  the  weavers  on  the 
right,  under  the  right  end  of  the  upper  pair  of 
spokes,  over  the  middle  pair  and  under  the  lowest. 
The  outer  weaver  follows,  but  in  reverse  order. 
The  pair  of  weavers  on  the  right  is  treated  in  the 
same  way  and  then  the  weaving  is  done  by  pairing, 


OVAL    BASKETS  129 

using  the  pairs  of  weavers  alternately.  When  the 
bottom  is  about  an  inch  and  a  half  across,  the  pairs 
of  spokes  are  separated,  and  the  pairing  continues 
until  the  bottom  measures  three  by  five  and  a  half 
inches.  The  ends  of  the  spokes  are  then  thor- 
oughly wet,  and  two  of  the  fourteen-inch  pieces  of 
No.  3  rattan  are  inserted  on  either  side  of  each 
spoke  to  form  the  side  spokes.  These  spokes  are 


FIG.  24 


turned  up,  flaring  those  on  the  ends  of  the  basket 
more  than  the  ones  on  the  sides,  and  half  an  inch 
of  triple  twist  is  woven  in  No.  2  rattan.  Two 
thirty-five-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan  are  inserted 
here  to  form  a  foundation  handle.  The  ends  of 
these  spokes  should  be  placed  in  the  centre  of  a 
group  of  spokes  and,  on  the  other  side  of  the  bas- 
ket, in  the  centre  of  a  group  that  is  exactly  oppo- 
site. Two  pieces  of  brown  rush  are  next  started, 


I3O  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

where  the  triple  twist  stopped,  and  are  woven  in 
pairing  for  an  inch  and  a  quarter,  remembering 
always  to  flare  the  end  spokes  and  press  those  on 
the  sides  in.  The  groups  of  spokes  are  now 
divided  into  pairs,  and  three-quarters  of  an  inch  of 
pairing  in  No.  2  rattan,  with  the  following  border, 
completes  the  basket.  In  the  first  row  each  pair 
of  spokes  is  brought  under  the  next  pair  on  the 
right,  over  the  next,  under  the  next  and  outside 
the  basket.  In  the  second  row  each  pair  of  ends 
is  brought  under  the  next  pair  on  the  right,  over 
the  next  and  down,  leaving  the  first  part  of  the 
row  quite  loose  until  the  last  part  is  finished,  when 
the  spokes  are  cut  short.  The  handle  is  covered 
with  rush  in  the  way  described  on  page  87.  In 
joining  new  pieces  of  rush  the  ends  are  crossed  on 
the  uncovered  spokes — see  Fig.  24 — and  covered 
by  the  rush  as  the  work  proceeds. 

Fayal  Oval  Basket 

Materials:     6  5-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
4  7-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 

1  4-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
84  12-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 

2  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

The  six  five-inch  spokes  are  slit  for  about  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  in  the  middle  of  each.     The 


OVAL    BASKETS  131 

four  seven-inch  spokes,  with  the  one  four-inch 
spoke  between  them,  are  slipped  through  the  six 
slit  ones,  leaving  about  half  an  inch  between  each 
of  the  six.  The  group  of  four  and  a  half  spokes 
are  held  in  a  vertical  position,  while  the  six  run 
horizontally.  A  weaver  is  started,  back  of  the  ver- 
tical spokes  and  lying  along  the  uppermost  hori- 
zontal spoke,  with  its  end  toward  the  right.  It  is 
brought  around  in  front  of  the  vertical  spokes 
(above  the  upper  horizontal  one),  then  back  and 
down  diagonally  to  the  left,  coming  out  below  the 
upper  horizontal  spoke.  Here  it  is  brought  around 
in  front  of  the  vertical  group,  back  and  up  diag- 
onally to  the  left  of  the  vertical  spokes  and  above 
the  first  horizontal  one.  It  is  then  brought  diag- 
onally down,  in  front  of  the  vertical  spokes,  to  the 
right  of  them  and  just  above  the  second  horizontal 
spoke.  Next  it  crosses  diagonally  down  and  back 
of  the  vertical  spokes,  to  the  left  of  them  and 
below  the  second  horizontal  spoke,  where  it  is 
brought  over  the  vertical  ones,  back  and  up  diag- 
onally to  the  left  of  the  vertical  spokes,  and  just 
above  the  second  horizontal  one — see  Fig.  25. 
The  same  process  binds  the  other  four  horizontal 
spokes ;  making  an  ornamental  cross  effect  over 
each  one,  on  the  inside  of  the  basket — see  Fig.  26. 
After  all  six  horizontal  spokes  have  been  bound 


132 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


the  spokes  are  separated  and  the  weaving  begins. 
When  a  bottom,  four  and  a  half  by  six  and  three- 
quarters  inches,  has  been  woven  two  pieces  of  No.  2 
rattan,  twelve  inches 
long,  are  inserted  on 
either  side  of  each  spoke 
to  form  the  side  spokes. 
They  are  wet  until  quite 
pliable,  and  then  each 
group  of  spokes  is 
brought  over  the  one  on 
the  right  of  it,  under 
the  next  group,  over  the 
next,  then  under  the 
next  and  out,  drawing  the 
groups  in  (except  the  first 
two  or  three,  which  are 
left  loose  until  the  last 
groups  have  been  woven 
in),  so  that  they  will  form 
close  sides  about  two  inches 
high.  The  ends  of  the 
groups  are  woven  into  a 
base  as  follows :  The  bas- 
FlG  2g  ket  is  turned  upside  down, 

and  the  ends  of  each  group 
are  brought  over  the  next  group  on  the  left  and. 


FIG.  25 


OVAL    BASKETS  133 

pressed    down   inside   the   base,   where   they    are 
afterward  cut  short. 

Japanese  Oval  Basket 

Materials:   BASKET— 4  28-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i  1 5-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
6  26-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
12  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan. 

HANDLE  AND  BASE — 9  34-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
21  5-inch  pieces  of  No.  3  rattan, 
A  knitting  needle. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  oval  baskets  is 
copied  from  a  Japanese  model  as  follows  :  The  six 
twenty-six  inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan  are  laid  on 
a  table  horizontally ;  across  these  vertically  the  four 
twenty-eight  inch  spokes,  with  the  fifteen-inch 
spoke  between  them,  are  placed.  The  end  of  a 
very  pliable  weaver  is  laid  along  the  top  of  the  up- 
permost horizontal  spoke  back  of  the  vertical 
spokes  with  its  tip  toward  the  right.  The  weaver 
is  then  brought  forward  around  the  vertical  spokes, 
down  back  of  the  upper  horizontal  spoke,  then 
forward  around  the  vertical  spokes  three  times, 
down  back  of  the  second  horizontal  spoke  on  the 
right,  over  the  vertical  spokes  (between  the  second 
and  third  horizontal  spoke)  three  times.  It  is 
then  brought  back  of  the  third  horizontal  spoke  on 
the  right,  up  and  around  the  vertical  spokes  three 


134  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

times,  and  so  on,  until  all  of  the  horizontal  spokes 
have  been  bound  to  the  vertical  ones  in  exactly  the 
same  way.  After  the  weaver  has  passed  down 
and  back  of  the  sixth  horizontal  spoke  and  around 
the  vertical  group  three  times,  it  is  brought  across 
to  the  left  of  the  sixth  horizontal  spoke,  where  the 
under-and-over  weaving  begins.  Another  centre 
which,  though  more  elaborate,  has  been  found 
rather  more  satisfactory,  is  woven  in  this  way. 

Six  twenty-six  and  four  and  a  half  twenty-eight  inch 
spokes  are  used — the  same  number  of  spokes  with 
which  the  first  centre  was  started.  The  group  of 
twenty-eight-inch  spokes  are  held  by  the  left  hand, 
in  a  vertical  position,  and  at  an  inch  above  the 
centre  the  first  horizontal  spoke  is  laid  back  of  the 
vertical  ones.  Along  this  spoke  and  back  of  the 
vertical  spokes,  with  its  end  toward  the  right,  a 
weaver  is  started.  It  is  brought  around  in  front 
of  the  vertical  group,  down  back  of  the  right  side 
of  the  first  horizontal  spoke,  in  front  of  the  vertical 
group,  up  and  back  of  the  left  side  of  the  first 
horizontal  spoke,  and  over  the  vertical  group  above 
the  first  binding  (see  Fig.  27).  It  is  then  brought 
down,  back  of  the  right  side  of  the  first  horizontal 
spoke,  across  the  vertical  group  to  the  left  side  of 
the  second  horizontal  spoke,  which  is  laid  back  of 
the  vertical  group  at  about  half  an  inch  below  the 


OVAL    BASKETS 


135 


first  one.     The   weaver  goes  down  back  of   this 

second  horizontal  spoke,  in  front  of  the  vertical 

group,   up  back  of   the  right  side  of    the  second 

horizontal  spoke,  over  the  vertical  group  and  down 

back  of  the  left  side  of  the 

second  horizontal  spoke. 

A  third  horizontal  spoke 

is  then  laid  back  of  the 

vertical  group,  at  half  an 

inch   below  the   second 

one.  The  weaver  crosses 

in  front  of  the  vertical 

group,    down   and   back 

of   the  third   horizontal 

spoke  on  the  right,  then 

over  the  vertical  group, 

up   back   of    the    third 

horizontal  spoke  on  the 

left,  across   the  vertical  FlG  2? 

group  and  down  back  of 

the  right  side  of  the  third  horizontal  spoke.     A 

fourth  horizontal  spoke  is  laid  back  of  the  vertical 

group,  half  an  inch  below  the  third  one,  and  bound 

in  the  same  way  as  the   others  were.     The  same 

process   also  binds  the  fifth  and   sixth  horizontal 

spokes  to  the  vertical  group.     After  the  weaver 

has  been  brought  down  back  of  the  left  side  of 


136  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

the  sixth  horizontal  spoke  for  the  second  time,  it 
crosses  in  front  of  the  vertical  group  to  the  right 
side  of  the  sixth  horizontal  spoke,  where  the  under- 
and-over  weaving  is  begun. 

The  bottom  is  woven  two  and  a  half  inches  wide 
by  four  inches  long.  The  spokes  are  then  wet 
until  pliable,  and  bent  sharply  upward,  flaring  the 
spokes  at  the  ends  more  than  those  at  the  sides  of 
the  basket.  The  nine  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
which  are  to  form  the  handle,  are  inserted,  five  on 
one  side  and  four  on  the  other,  of  a  spoke  in  the 
middle  of  one  side  of  the  basket,  and  the  handle  is 
made  according  to  the  directions  for  a  braided 
handle  on  page  56.  When  the  sides  of  the  basket 
are  about  three  and  a  quarter  inches  high  the  ends, 
which  are  to  slope  upward  gradually,  are  woven  in 
this  way.  When  the  weaver  comes  to  the  spoke 
at  the  left  of  the  handle,  it  is  doubled  back  and 
woven  from  right  to  left,  all  the  way  to  the  spoke 
at  the  right  of  the  handle  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  basket.  Here  it  doubles  around  the  spoke 
and  returns,  to  be  brought  around  the  first  spoke 
again  and  woven  from  right  to  left.  On  its  second 
return  it  doubles  on  the  spoke  at  the  left  of  the 
one  it  started  from,  is  brought  around  this  twice  in 
the  same  way,  going  to  the  second  spoke  at  the 
right  of  the  handle  on  the  opposite  side.  It  then 


OVAL   BASKETS 

At  the  left  of  the  foreground  the  Fayal  basket  with  a  handle  is  shown.  Beside 
it  is  the  Japanese  basket,  and  back  of  that  the  ornamental  centre  of  the  other 
Fayal  basket  just  shows.  Above  is  the  melon  basket,  and  on  tht  lert  the  English 
model  of  brown  rush  and  rattan 


138  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

Fayal  Oval  Basket  with  Handle 

Materials:     BASKET — 8  lo-inch  spokes  of  No.  4  rattan, 
i  6-inch  spoke  of  No.  4  rattan, 
68  44-inch  pieces  of  No.  2  rattan, 
4  weavers  of  No.  2  rattan, 
HANDLE — i  22-inch  spoke  of  No.  6  rattan, 
I  weaver  of  No.  2  rattan. 

This  model  was  copied  from  one  of  the  sturdy 
Fayal  baskets  that  the  masters  of  sailing  vessels 
used  to  bring  home  to  our  grandmothers  in  the 
good  old  times.  In  such  baskets  new  laid  eggs, 
fruit  or  a  little  pat  of  butter  were  carried  to  neigh- 
bors or  sick  friends. 

The  groups  of  four  and  four  and  a  half  spokes 
are  crossed  in  the  centre,  just  as  the  round  centres 
are  begun,  but  from  the  very  beginning  the  oval 
should  be  formed  by  pressing  the  weavers  close  in 
on  the  sides  and  letting  them  go  more  easily  on  the 
ends.  This  method  will  make  an  excellent  oval 
shape  and  one  that  is  less  complicated  than  any  of 
the  others.  When  about  a  weaver  and  a  half  has 
been  used  the  forty-four  inch  pieces  of  No.  2 
rattan,  which  serve  as  spokes,  are  inserted  two  on 
each  side  of  a  spoke.  The  bottom  should  be 
about  six  by  four  and  a  half  inches  when  two 
weavers  have  been  woven  in.  The  spokes  are 
then  wet  and  turned  up,  keeping  the  oval  shape ; 
two  more  weavers  are  used  in  under-arid-over 


OVAL   BASKETS  139 

weaving,  the  edge  is  bound  off  and  the  groups  of 
spokes  are  woven  into  the  following  closed  border 
Each  group  is  brought  under  the  group  on  the 
right,  over  the  next,  under  the  next,  over  the  next, 
under  the  next  and  outside  of  the  basket,  leaving 
the  first  two  groups  loose  and  open  so  as  to  allow 
the  last  ones  to  be  woven  in  easily.  Each  group 
of  ends  is  brought  down  on  the  outside  of  the 
basket,  through  a  row  of  weaving,  at  about  an  inch 
and  a  half  below  the  border,  and  just  back  of  the 
third  group  of  spokes  from  the  one  it  last  crossed. 
This  holds  the  ends  firmly  in  place.  The  basket  is 
now  turned  upside  down  and  two  rows  of  pairing 
are  woven  to  form  the  upper  part  of  a  base.  The 
lower  part  is  made  by  bringing  each  group  of  ends 
over  the  one  on  the  left  and  down  inside  the  base, 
where  they  are  all  cut  off  when  the  row  is  finished. 
The  ends  of  a  twenty-two  inch  spoke  of  No.  6  rat- 
tan are  next  inserted,  below  the  border  and  down 
between  a  group  of  spokes,  on  each  side  of  the  bas- 
ket to  form  a  foundation  for  the  handle  which  is 
the  simple  twisted  one  described  on  page  53. 

Melon  Shaped  Basket 

Materials:     i  21 -inch  spoke  of  No.  5  rattan, 

i  23-inch  spoke  of  No.  6  flat  rattan, 
8  lo-inch  spokes  of  No.  6  flat  rattan, 
20  or  more  lengths  of  narrow  splint, 
A  piece  of  fine  wire  5  or  6  inches  long. 


I4O  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

Although  melon  shaped  baskets  are  graceful  and 
attractive  in  form,  the  workman  who  undertakes  to 
weave  one  will  need  a  good  stock  of  patience  and 
skill,  for  they  are  among  the  most  difficult  baskets 
to  make  shapely  and  strong.  On  general  principles 
it  is  well  to  have  the  spoke  material  as  strong  and 
unyielding  as  possible,  while  the  weavers  should  be 
very  pliable  yet  firm. 
Raffia  is  hard  to 
manage  as  a  weaver 
and  rattan,  unless  it 
is  unusually  pliable, 
will  break  in  making 
the  sharp  turns  over 
the  edge  of  the  melon 
basket.  The  one  in 
the  picture  is  made 
of  heavy  round  rattan 
FIG'  28  for  the  edge,  flat  rat- 

tan for  the  spokes  and  handle,  and  narrow  splint, 
such  as  is  used  by  the  Indians,  for  the  weaver. 
The  ten-inch  spokes  are  first  whittled  to  a  gradual 
point  at  each  end,  a  point  from  two  and  a  half  to 
three  inches  long.  The  ends  of  the  twenty-three 
inch  spoke  of  flat  rattan  are  also  pointed  in  the 
same  way.  The  twenty-one  inch  spoke  of  No.  5 
rattan  is  slit,  for  half  an  inch,  in  the  centre  and 


OVAL   BASKETS 


141 


whittled  to  a  thin,  flat  point  at  each  end.   The  piece 

of  flat  rattan  which  is  to  form  the  centre  rib  of  the 

basket,  as  well  as  the  handle,  is  passed  through  the 

slit  in  the  twenty-one  inch  spoke  (which  is  to  form 

the  rim  of  the  basket)  and  its  ends  are  brought 

together,  between  the  two   pointed   ends  of   the 

twenty-one   inch    spoke,   where   they   are    bound 

securely  with  a    piece 

of  fine  wire,  see  Fig. 

28.      In   this   basket 

there  are  two  starting 

points,  or  centres,  one 

at  either  side  of  the 

handle,  and  here  the 

handle,  rim  and  spokes 

are   bound    together. 

One  way  of  doing  this 

is    as   follows :     The 

tips  of  eight  spokes, 

four  on  each  side  of 

the  central  flat  spoke 

or  handle,  are  run  up  through  the  centre  (where 

the  handle  and  rim  are  crossed)  and  held  in  position 

by  the  left  hand,  while  with  the  right  hand  a  weaver 

is  started  back  of  the  handle  and  lying  along  the 

rim  spoke,  with  its  end  to  the  right.     It  is  brought 

forward  and  diagonally  down  between  the  third  and 


FIG.  29 


142 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


fourth  spoke  from  the  handle,  counting  the  rim 
spoke  as  one,  see  Fig.  29.  The  weaver  is  then 
brought  back  of  five  of  the  flat  spokes,  out  and  up 
diagonally  to  the  right  of  the  handle.  Here  it 
comes  around  again  in  the  same  way,  binding  the 
spokes  securely  in  place.  After  the  third  time 
around,  the  weaver  is 
brought  over  the 
three  spokes  on  the 
right,  under  five  and 
up  around  the  three 
last  spokes  on  the  left, 
doubling  over  the  rim 
on  the  left.  In  return- 
ing it  is  brought  back 
of  the  three  spokes  on 
the  left,  in  front  of 
the  five  middle  spokes 
and  back  of  the  three 
on  the  right,  see  Fig. 

29.  The  weaver  is  bound  around  four  times,  in 
this  way,  and  then  the  spokes  are  separated  and  the 
under-and-over  weaving  begins.  Another  pretty 
and  simple  centre  is  made  as  follows :  The  spokes, 
handle  and  rim  are  prepared  as  in  the  previous 
description,  but  the  centre  is  started  at  the  crossing 
of  the  rim  and  handle  and  the  spokes  are  added  aa 


FIG.  30 


OVAL    BASKETS  143 

the  binding  proceeds.  An  end  of  the  weaver  is 
started  in  front  of  the  left  side  of  the  rim  spoke 
and  brought  up  and  in  front  to  the  right  of  the 
upper  part  of  the  handle,  back  of  the  handle  and 
diagonally  down  in  front  to  the  lower  edge  of  the 
right  side  of  the  rim  spoke.  It  goes  up  back  of 
this  spoke  and  diagonally  down  in  front  to  the  left 
of  the  lower  part  of  the  handle,  where  it  is  brought 
back  and  up  from  the  right  of  the  lower  handle 
diagonally  to  the  upper  edge  of  the  rim  on  the  left. 
Here  it  goes  around  the  rim  spoke,  and  up  diago- 
nally to  the  starting  point.  One  of  the  sharp 
pointed  spokes  is  then  inserted  on  either  side  of  the 
handle,  and  the  next  time  around  the  weaver  is 
brought  so  as  to  bind  the  end  of  each  spoke  close 
to  the  handle.  Then  it  passes  around  the  rim 
spoke  and  the  first  spoke  on  the  right,  down  and 
around  the  lower  part  of  the  handle  as  before,  and 
up  to  the  left,  where  it  binds  the  left  side  of  the 
rim  spoke  to  the  first  spoke  on  the  left,  see  Fig.  30. 
A  spoke  on  either  side  of  the  handle  is  added  each 
time  and  each  time  the  ends  of  the  spokes  just 
added  are  bound  in  at  the  upper  part  of  the  handle. 
The  spoke  just  added  on  the  right  is  bound  in  with 
the  rim  spoke  on  the  right  by  the  weaver,  which 
passes  diagonally  down  below  the  rim  and  between 
the  spoke  just  inserted  and  the  previous  one ;  up 


144  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

and  back  of  the  rim  spoke,  down  diagonally,  around 
the  lower  part  of  the  handle  and  up  diagonally, 
binding  the  spoke  just  added  on  the  left  to  the  left 
side  of  the  rim  spoke,  as  the  one  on  the  right  was 
bound.  When  all  the  spokes  have  been  secured  in 
this  way  the  weaving  begins.  An  inch  or  two  of 
under-and-over  weaving  is  made,  and  then  the 
spokes  are  brought  up  on  each  side  of  the  opposite 
end  of  the  handle,  to  start  the  other  centre.  The 
point  of  each  spoke  is  pushed  up  through  the  slit 
part  of  the  round  spoke,  where  the  handle  was  run 
through  it.  Here  the  binding  process  is  repeated 
and,  when  an  inch  or  two  has  been  woven  in  under- 
and-over  weaving,  the  weaving  on  the  opposite  side 
is  begun  again  and  woven  to  the  middle  of  the  bas- 
ket, where  it  is  met  by  the  weaving  from  the  second 
centre.  The  handle  is  wound  with  splint  in  this 
way.  The  spokes  at  one  end  of  the  handle  are 
trimmed  quite  close,  and  a  weaver  is  started  near 
the  handle  and  bound  tightly  around  it,  covering 
the  foundation.  If  another  weaver  has  to  be  joined 
to  the  first  one,  its  end  is  pushed  back  under  the 
rows  of  splint  already  wound.  The  end  of  the  old 
weaver  is  laid  along  the  uncovered  handle  and 
bound  in  as  the  winding  proceeds.  At  the  other 
end  of  the  handle  the  tips  of  the  flat  spokes  are 
trimmed  close  and  covered  neatly  with  the  wound 


OVAL    BASKETS  145 

weaver,  which  is  finally  secured  by  weaving  it 
under  and  over  several  spokes,  cutting  the  end 
short  inside  the  basket. 


The  Finishing  Touch 


CHAPTER   XII 

•  THE    FINISHING    TOUCH. 

IN  the  process  of  making  a  basket  there  is  no 
time  when  the  individuality  of  the  worker  has  a 
better  opportunity  to  show  itself  than  when  he  is 
putting  the  finishing  touch.  While  the  basket  is 
still  damp,  all  irregularities  of  shape  which  can  be 
changed  should  be  remedied.  One  side  may  be 
higher  than  the  other,  perhaps  the  border  is  not 
close  to  the  weaving  or  the  bottom  may  not  be 
flat ;  now  is  the  time  to  look  for  defects  of  form, 
before  the  rattan  dries. 

In  soaking  and  weaving  even  the  best  rattan 
becomes  somewhat  rough,  and  little  fibres  pro- 
truding here  and  there  do  not  look  well.  There 
are  two  ways  of  improving  the  surface :  one  is  to 
singe  the  basket,  which  must  be  thoroughly  dry, 
over  a  lamp ;  taking  great  care  to  hold  it  so  that 
the  fibres  will  be  singed  off  without  scorching  the 
basket.  Another  and  perhaps  a  better  way  is  to 
sandpaper  the  rattan  with  No.  o  sandpaper  until  it 
is  smooth.  The  basket  is  now  prepared  for  the 
149 


150  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

last  process.  This  is  either  to  finish  the  rattan 
in  its  natural  color  with  a  dull  or  polished  surface, 
or  to  color  it  with  stains  or  vegetable  dyes. 

Just  a  word  as  to  aniline  dyes.  The  Shah  of 
Persia  punishes  with  death  the  man  who  brings 
them  into  his  kingdom,  and  we  are  tempted  to  ex- 
claim with  him  "  Off  with  his  head  1"  when  we 
hear  of  a  person  who,  having  seen  the  soft,  beauti- 
ful coloring  made  with  vegetable  dyes,  returns  to 
the  crude  and  quickly  fading  aniline  colors.  La- 
ziness can  be  the  only  excuse,  and  even  that  is  a 
poor  one,  for  extracts  of  most  of  the  vegetable 
dyes  can  be  bought  of  dealers  in  dye  woods  in  our 
principal  cities,  and  the  dyes  are  not  hard  to  man- 
age. Believing  that  only  such  colors  as  are  found 
in  natural  basket  materials  should  be  used  in  bas- 
ketry, but  few  dyes  are  mentioned  in  the  following 
directions ;  but  these  suggestions  will  perhaps  lead 
the  worker  to  experiment  further  with  vegetable 
dyes.  It  is  a  fascinating  part  of  basketry,  the 
coloring  of  materials,  and  yields  large  results  for 
the  time  and  trouble  invested.  Then,  too,  in  ex- 
perimenting with  vegetable  dyes  the  worker  is 
naturally  led  out  of  doors  and  may  discover  dyes 
when  he  least  expects  them.  For  instance,  one 
basket  maker  found  in  the  purple  iris  a  dye  almost 
as  deep  as  its  own  blossoms.  The  faded  flowers 


THE    FINISHING   TOUCH  I§I 

are  full  of  the  purple  liquid  and,  when  they  are 
rubbed  on  rattan,  color  it  a  beautiful  shade  which 
is  quite  as  fast  as  most  dyes. 

Yellow  from  Fustic. — Before  the  rattan  is  dyed 
it  should  be  soaked  in  a  mordant  or  fixing  bath. 
A  solution  of  alum  (three  ounces  of  alum  dis- 
solved in  a  quart  of  water)  is  prepared  and  the 
rattan  is  laid  in  it  over  night.  If  the  dye  is  to  be 
extracted  from  fustic  chips,  the  chips  must  be 
soaked  over  night  in  enough  water  to  cover  them 
and  boiled  next  day  in  the  same  water,  for  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  or  just  long  enough  to  extract  a 
bright  yellow.  A  bit  of  rattan,  which  has  been 
soaked  in  the  alum  bath,  is  dipped  in  from  time  to 
time  to  try  the  color.  As  soon  as  the  rattan  turns 
a  bright  yellow  the  dye  should  be  taken  off  and 
strained,  as  longer  boiling  will  turn  it  to  duller 
olive  shades.  The  extract  of  fustic  will  give 
surer  results  with  less  labor.  It  should  be  diluted 
with  hot  water.  Cochineal  added  to  fustic  pro- 
duces a  dull  red  orange. 

Brown  from  Logwood. — Logwood  chips  boiled 
in  enough  water  to  cover  them,  for  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes,  yield  a  yellow  brown.  The  rattan 
is  simply  soaked  in  the  extract  for  several  hours,  or 
boiled  in  it,  and  then  dried;  no  mordant  being 
used. 


1 52  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

Purple  Shades  from  Logwood. — The  alum  mor- 
dant is  used  as  previously  described.  The  rattan 
is  then  dyed  a  soft  purple  by  soaking  it  for  a  few 
hours,  or  boiling  it,  in  the  extract  of  logwood, 
obtained  from  the  chips ;  or  in  the  extract  sold  by 
dye  houses,  diluted  to  the  right  consistency  with 
hot  water.  The  addition  of  ammonia  or  baking 
soda  will  give  a  bluer  purple. 

Black  from  Logwood. — In  the  days  when  our 
grandmothers  made  their  own  ink  every  one  knew 
how  to  obtain  this  dye.  Boil  the  rattan  in  a  decoc- 
tion of  fifty  parts  of  logwood  to  ten  of  fustic, 
for  half  an  hour.  Remove  the  rattan  and  add 
four  parts  of  copperas.  Return  the  rattan  and 
boil  ten  or  fifteen  minutes. 

Orange  from  Annatto. — A  bright  orange  is 
made  from  annatto  in  this  way.  A  short  time 
before  it  is  required  for  use,  it  is  dissolved  by  boil- 
ing it  with  a  solution  of  carbonate  of  soda  (wash- 
ing soda)  for  twenty  minutes.  Mordant  the  rattan 
with  stannous  chloride  (or  tin  crystals,  which  dis- 
solve in  a  small  quantity  of  water)  and  dye. 

Orange  from  Quercitron. — The  dyeing  prop- 
erties of  quercitron  are  very  like  those  of  fustic, 
but  with  a  mordant  of  stannous  chloride  its  yellows 
are  more  orange  than  the  fustic  colors.  Mordant 
the  rattan  with  a  solution  of  stannous  chloride; 


THE    FINISHING    TOUCH  153 

and  if  the  extract  of  quercitron  is  to  be  used, 
dilute  it  with  boiling  water  and  dye. 

Scarlet  from  Cochineal. — Mordant  the  rattan 
with  six  parts  of  stannous  chloride  (crystals)  to 
four  parts  of  cream  of  tartar.  Dye  with  cochineal 
(which  has  been  boiled  and  strained)  until  the 
desired  color  is  obtained. 

The  use  of  wood  stains  on  rattan  seems  appropriate, 
for  what  is  rattan  but  wood,?  Beautiful  shades  of  green 
are  obtained  by  adding  a  few  drops  of  malachite  green 
or  green  oak  stain  to  different  combinations  of  tur- 
pentine and  linseed  oil,  or  turpentine  and  varnish. 
These  are  so  satisfactory  that  they  take  the  place 
of  green  dyes  which  are  more  uncertain  and  more 
difficult  to  use  on  the  rattan.  People  who  like  the 
natural  color  of  rattan,  but  do  not  care  for  the  dry, 
unfinished  look  of  its  surface  will  find  either  of  the 
two  following  receipts  useful.  The  polish,  while 
not  very  shiny,  acts  like  a  varnish  and  strengthens 
and  stiffens  the  rattan,  making  it  slightly  darker 
and  yellower  in  tone.  It  is  often  used  as  a  finish 
for  scrap  baskets,  particularly  those  made  of 
braided  rush  and  rattan. 

Polish. — Equal  parts  of  turpentine  and  a  var- 
nish, known  commercially  as  Light  Oil  Finish,  are 
thoroughly  mixed  and  applied  to  the  basket  inside 
and  out  with  a  stiff  paint  brush.  If  it  is  not  pos- 


154  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

sible  to  obtain  the  Light  Oil  Finish  a  common 
copal  and  turpentine  varnish,  rather  dark,  may  be 
used,  but  this  will  require  two  parts  of  turpentine 
to  one  of  the  varnish.  After  the  polish  is  dry  any 
roughness  may  be  removed  with  powdered  pumice. 

Pale  Oil  Finish* — Makes  the  rattan  smooth  and 
glossy  and  slightly  darker  than  the  natural  color. 
Three  parts  of  linseed  oil  and  one  part  of  turpen- 
tine are  mixed  thoroughly  together  and  rubbed 
into  the  rattan  with  a  soft  cloth.  This  finish  dries 
slowly,  but  if  it  is  well  rubbed  into  the  rattan  it 
will  not  take  so  long. 

Deeper  Oil  Finish* — Two  parts  of  turpentine, 
four  parts  of  linseed  oil  and  one  part  of  cherry 
stain,  mixed  thoroughly  and  rubbed  well  into  the 
rattan,  will  make  a  rather  darker  finish.  This  as 
well  as  the  other  oil  finishes  may  be  used  to  polish 
the  rattan  before  it  is  woven  into  baskets. 

Green  Oil  Finish. — A  light  yellow  green  —  a 
green  with  life  in  it — is  made  with  twelve  parts  of 
turpentine,  nine  parts  of  linseed  oil  and  malachite 
green  stain,  added  drop  by  drop  until  the  right 
shade  is  secured.  In  using  this,  as  other  stains 
and  dyes,  it  is  wise  to  try  the  color  on  a  bit  of  rat- 
tan before  putting  it  on  the  basket. 

Pale  Green  Finish. — A  few  drops  of  malachite 
green  stain  added  to  five  parts  of  Light  Oil  Finish 


THE   FINISHING   TOUCH  155 

and  twenty-one  parts  of  turpentine  will  make  a 
pale  silvery  green. ,  The  surface  of  the  rattan  will 
be  left  quite  dry,  there  is  so  much  turpentine  in 
the  mixture,  but  some  people  prefer  this  look. 

Green  Polish, — To  equal  parts  of  turpentine  and 
Light  Oil  Finish  a  few  drops  of  malachite  green 
are  added  and  after  mixing  thoroughly  it  is  put 
on  with  a  brush  to  the  basket  or  separate  weavers 
which  are  to  be  colored. 

Pale  Olive  Green  Polish. — Green  oak  stain  is 
added  drop  by  drop  to  equal  parts  of  turpentine 
and  Light  Oil  Finish  until  the  right  shade  is 
obtained,  by  testing  it  on  a  piece  of  rattan.  The 
mixture  is  then  applied  with  a  stiff  paint  brush  to 
the  basket  or  rattan  which  is  to  be  stained. 

Orange  Stain. — There  is  a  curious  coloring  mat- 
ter, known  as  Dragon's  Blood,  which  is  imported 
from  China  and  is  used  by  violin  makers  to  color 
their  fine  varnishes.  It  may  be  bought  at  any 
drug  store,  in  sticks,  and  when  ground  in  alcohol  it 
yields  a  beautiful  orange  red.  This  makes  an 
excellent  stain  with  which  to  color  separate  weav- 
ers of  rattan  and  raffia,  braided  or  loose,  to  be 
used  in  weaving  bands  of  color  on  the  plain  rattan 
baskets. 

Dull  Terra  Cotta  Stain. — To  five  parts  of  Light 
Oil  Finish  and  twenty-one  parts  of  turpentine  a 


156  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

few  drops  of  cherry  stain  are  added,  until  a  deep 
enough  shade  is  obtained.  This  makes  a  color 
very  like  the  terra  cotta  in  Indian  baskets,  and  in 
combination  with  black  is  very  effective  on  baskets 
of  natural  colored  rattan. 

Terra  Cotta  Polish. — Is  made  by  adding  a  few 
drops  of  cherry  stain  to  one  part  of  Light  Oil  Fin- 
ish and  two  parts  of  turpentine. 

Creosote  Stain  for  Birds'  Nests. — The  creosote 
stain  used  for  coloring  shingles  is  an  admirable  fin- 
ish for  birds'  nests.  It  acts  as  a  preservative  and 
is  sanitary  and  clean,  as  well  as  beautiful  to  the 
eye.  Any  of  the  dull  greens,  yellows,  browns  or 
grays  are  appropriate  for  the  purpose. 


How  to  Cane  Chairs 


CHAPTER   XIII 

HOW    TO    CANE    CHAIRS 

SMALL,  square  frames  of  wood  with  holes  bored 
in  them,  at  intervals  of  about  an  inch,  and  having 
two  or  more  round  pegs  to  fit  the  holes,  are  sold  by 
dealers  in  kindergarten  supplies.  These  are  ex- 
cellent for  the  beginner  to  use,  instead  of  a  chair 
seat,  while  he  is  learning  how  to  cane.  The  cane 
is  sold  at  basket  factories  and  is  usually  designated 
as  coarse,  medium,  fine  or  fine  fine.  It  comes  in 
long  twists,  like  the  rattan,  and  is  pulled  out  in  the 
same  way  from  the  loop  end.  Two  patterns  of 
caning  are  given,  a  simple  one  on  a  frame  and  one 
that  is  more  elaborate  on  a  chair  seat. 

Simple  Cross  Pattern. 

A  square  frame  with  2  or  3  wooden  pegs, 
8  or  10  lengths  of  fine  cane. 

The  frame,  with  its  smooth  side  up,  is  held  on 

the  lap  of  the  worker,  with  its  upper  edge  resting 

on  a  table  or  chair  at  a  convenient  height.     If,  as 

is  the  case  with  the  frame  in  the  picture,  there  is 

159 


T6O  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

an  even  number  of  holes  across  the  top  and  bottom, 
say  sixteen,  the  worker  counts  from  the  left  side 
eight  holes  at  the  bottom,  and  eight  at  the  top, 
from  the  left  side.  This  finding  the  approximate 
centre  must  always  be  the  first  step.  A  length  of 
cane,  previously  wet  for  a  few  minutes,  is  drawn  up 
through  the  hole  in  the  centre  of  the  lower  edge  of 
the  frame  and  down  through  the  corresponding 
hole  in  the  top  edge,  where  an  end  about  two  and 
a  half  inches  long  is  left  and  a  peg  put  in  to  hold  it. 
The  long  end  of  cane  at  the  lower  edge  is  now 
brought  up  through  the  next  hole  on  the  right, 
taking  care  not  to  twist  it ;  here  a  peg  is  put  in  and 
the  cane  is  brought  down  through  the  first  hole  on 
the  right  of  the  centre  at  the  top,  where  the  peg 
(taken  from  the  previous  hole)  is  put  in  to  hold  it 
in  place.  The  cane  is  brought  up  through  the  next 
hole  to  the  right  and  so  on  to  the  right  edge.  It 
should  not  be  put  through  the  hole  next  the  edge, 
as  that  would  bring  it  over  the  wood  and  at  the 
same  time  cover  the  holes,  two  important  things  to 
be  avoided.  The  cane  should  not  be  drawn 
absolutely  taut,  for  when  the  finishing  row  of  diag- 
onal weaving  is  put  in  it  tightens  the  work  and  if  it 
is  already  strained  the  last  weaving  will  be  difficult. 
The  ends  are  fastened  off  on  the  wrong  side.  Each 
is  brought  twice  through  the  next  loop,  see  Fig.  31, 


HOW    TO    CANE    CHAIRS  l6l 

creasing  the  cane  sharply  so  it  will  hold.  Another 
length  of  cane  is  started  at  the  left  of  the  centre 
and  brought  through  the  holes  from  there  to  the 
left  side  of  the  frame,  in  the  same  way  as  on  the 
right.  The  end,  if  it  is 
long  enough,  should  be 
left  to  work  in  on  another 
row.  The  frame  is  now 
filled  with  vertical  lines  of 
cane.  A  row  of  horizon- 
tal lines  is  next  put  in,  in  the  same  way ;  starting 
from  the  centre  and  working  out  to  the  edge  on 
the  right  and  then  out  to  the  edge  on  the  left. 
This  covers  the  frame  with  a  network  of  squares. 
Diagonal  lines  are  then  begun,  starting  from  the 
lower  left-hand  corner  and  running  a  length  of 
cane  to  the  upper  right-hand  corner  (the  long 
ends  left  from  the  first  rows  may  be  used  instead 
ot  starting  new  lengths  of  cane);  the  work  being 
doi  a  as  before,  first  to  the  right  and  then  to  the 
left,  till  the  frame  is  filled  with  a  set  of  these  diag- 
onal iines,  being  careful,  however,  not  to  run  a  line 
over  i  ne  wood  at  the  corners.  In  the  fourth  row 
the  lines  run  diagonally,  from  the  lower  right-hand 
corner  to  the  upper  left-hand  corner,  but  in  this 
row  the  cane  is  woven ;  first  under  a  cross  then 
over  a  single  cane,  under  a  cross  and  over  a  single 


162 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


cane  (see  Fig.  32).  Each  succeeding  line  is  woven 
in  the  same  way,  under  the  crosses  and  over  the 
single  canes.  If  there  is  a  professional  chair  caner 


FIG.  32 

in  your  neighborhood,  it  will  help  you  to  watch  him 
at  work,"  for  caning  is  a  process  best  lcarne-1  by 
seeing  it  done. 

Ctiair  Seat  with  Octagonal  Meshes 


Materials: 


-A  chair, 

A  bundle  of  fine  cane, 
A  length  of  binding, 
2  or  3  pegs. 


Two  patti 
is  shown 
the  chair 


CAXIXG    IX   A    FRAME  AXD   OX   A   CHAIR 

s   of   caning  are  illustrated  in   this  plate.     The    simple   cross   pattern 
the   frame   on    the   wall,   the    more  elaborate   octagonal   pattern   on 


HOW    TO    CANE    CHAIRS  163 

The  more  elaborate  pattern  with  octagonal 
meshes,  which  is  shown  in  the  picture,  is  familiar 
to  everyone.  In  fact,  it  is  so  generally  used  that 
if  you  are  going  to  re-cane  a  chair  you  will  very 
likely  cut  out  a  seat  made  in  the  same  pattern.  If 
so,  cut  it  close  to  the  wood  all  around  and  you  will 
have  a  guide  to  help  you  in  making  the  new  seat. 
A  foot-stool  to  sit  on  is  a  necessity,  otherwise 
caning  will  be  a  back-breaking  process.  Seated  on 
this  stool  the  worker  tips  the  front  of  the  chair 
seat  forward  until  it  rests  on  his  lap,  and  he  is 
ready  to  begin.  As  in  the  caning  previously 
described  the  centre  must  first  be  found,  and  the 
lines  of  cane  run  vertically  across  the  seat.  They 
should  be  left  quite  loose,  or  else  at  the  sixth  row 
of  caning  the  work  will  be  slow  and  difficult.  One 
beginner  made  his  first  rows  so  tight  that,  when  he 
came  to  the  last  row,  he  broke  the  frame  of  his 
chair  trying  to  weave  in  the  last  lines  of  cane.  The 
next  set  of  canes  are  brought  across  the  seat 
horizontally,  these  are  followed  by  a  vertical  set  of 
canes  passing  over  the  first  vertical  canes,  through 
the  same  holes.  The  fourth  set  of  canes  is  woven 
horizontally  across,  first  over  one  of  the  upper 
vertical  canes,  then  under  the  lower  vertical  one, 
pulling  the  upper  vertical  cane  in  each  group  to  the 
right  and  going  over  or  under  as  the  case  may 


i64 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


be.  The  chair  seat  is  now  filled  with  weaving 
which  looks  like  Fig.  33.  The  next  lines  of  cane 
run  diagonally,  from  the  lower  left-hand  corner  to 
the  upper  right-hand  corner  of  the  seat.  They  go 
under  the  vertical  pairs,  and  over  the  horizontal 
pairs  to  the  right  and  above  the  vertical  ones  (see 
Fig.  34).  The  diag- 
onal lines  of  cane 
which  complete  the 
pattern,  go  from  the 
lower  right-hand  cor- 
ner of  the  seat  to  the 
upper  left-hand  cor- 
ner and  pass  always 
over  the  vertical 
groups  and  under  the 
horizontal  ones  (see 
Fig.  34).  In  putting 
in  the  diagonal  lines 
of  cane  it  will  often 
be  found  advisable  to 
have  two  parallel  lines  begin  or  end  in  the  same 
hole,  especially  at  the  corners.  Look  at  some  chair 
seat  made  in  this  pattern,  and  you  will  see  an  ex- 
ample. When  this  is  done,  the  end  of  cane  must 
either  be  brought  through  the  loop  next  to  it, 
before  coming  out  through  the  same  hole  it  went 


FIG.  33 


HOW   TO    CANE    CHAIRS 


in,  or  if  it  is  a  short  end  it  is  fastened  off  here  and 
another  started.  In  caning  each  chair  there  are 
small  problems  of  this  kind  which  the  worker's 
common  sense  and  sense  of  proportion  will  aid  him 
to  settle  for  himself. 

When  the  last  diagonal  lines  have  been  woven  in 
the  work  is  completed  by  covering  the  holes  with 
a  row  of  binding,  as  follows :  A  length  of  binding 
(cane  which  is  wide 
enough  to  cover  the 
holes  in  the  edge,  and 
is  sold  for  the  pur- 
pose) is  brought  up 
through  a  hole,  at  the 
right  or  left-hand  up- 
per corner  of  the  seat, 
and  laid  along  over 
the  holes  at  the  edge,  FlG>  34 

where  it  is  couched  with  a  piece  of  fine  rattan  which 
is  run  up  through  every  other  hole,  across  the  bind- 
ing and  back  again.  The  process  is  repeated  at 
every  second  hole  on  the  right.  When  the  circuit 
of  the  edge  has  been  made,  the  binding  is  brought 
down  through  the  hole  where  it  started  and  there 
ended  off. 


Some  Indian  Stitches 


CHAPTER   XIV 

SOME    INDIAN    STITCHES 

THERE  is  a  charm  in  the  names  of  such  Indian 
materials  as  spruce-root,  cedar-bark,  yucca  and 
Indian  hemp,  but  even  if  they  were  obtainable, 
they  would  be  useless  to  us  without  the  Indian 
touch ;  so  we  will  substitute  more  available 
materials,  those  we  have  become  familiar  with  in 
the  preceding  chapters. 

Rattan,  both  round  and  flat,  in  different  sizes, 
may  be  used  where  a  stiff,  heavy  material  is  needed, 
and  raffia,  rush,  or  split  cane,  where  a  more  pliable 
one  is  required.  Sweet-grass  and  the  splints  on 
which  it  is  woven  by  the  Eastern  Indians  and  half- 
breeds  may  be  bought,  usually  where  the  baskets 
are  sold.  In  a  previous  chapter  there  is  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  Indian  arrangement  of  spokes.  Where 
more  than  four  spokes  are  to  be  used  they  are  ar- 
ranged according  to  the  following  diagram  (Fig.  35). 

Sometimes  the  weaver  is  of  the  plain  sweet-grass, 

sometimes  it  is  braided,  and  it  is  either  woven  in 

under-and-over   weaving  or  pairing.     If  in  under- 

and-over  weaving,  as  there    is    an    even    number 

169 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


of   spokes,   the  weaver  at  the  beginning   of   the 
second  row  must  pass  under  two  spokes  in  order  to 
have  the  work  come 
,t  out  right.     This  must 

be  done  at  the  begin- 
ning of  every  new 
row.  Pairing  is  not 
as  often  used  by  the 
Indians  as  the  Indian 
pairing  or  twining.  In 
twining  the  Indian 
twists  her  two  weavers 
in  the  opposite  way 
from  ours  (see  Fig. 
36),  making  a  stitch 

which  runs  diagonally  down  from  left  to  right.  A 
half  turn  is  given  as  in  our  method,  but  whereas  in 
pairing  the  half  turn 
is  made  as  if  one 
were  turning  a  screw 
to  fasten  it,  the  mo- 
tion in  twining  is  that 
made  when  unscrew- 
ing. Usually  but  one 
spoke  is  inclosed  by 


FIG.  36 


two  of  these  twists,  but  sometimes,  as  in  Fig.  37, 
the    skip    stitch,    which    incloses   two    spokes,   is 


SOME   INDIAN   STITCHES 


171 


introduced  to  form  a  pattern ;  and  occasionally  it 
is  used  for  the  body  of  the  weaving  (see  Fig.  38). 


FIG.  37 

Ornamental  bands  or  patterns  are  often  worked  in 
stitches  which  pass  between  the  two  weavers,  as  in 


FIG.  38 

aresene  embroidery,  showing  only  on  the  outside. 
These  stitches  give  the  effect  of  bands  of  pairing 


172 


HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 


(see  Fig.  39).     Rows  of  twining  are  sometimes  set 
far  enough  apart  to  produce  an  open  work  effect 

(see  Fig.  40). 
Again  they  form 
part  of  a  diamond 
pattern  like  that 
shown  in  Fig.  41, 
which  was  copied 
from  an  Aleutian 
wallet  of  sea-grass. 
The  spokes  in  the 


FIG.  39 


original      are      of 
coarse    straw,   but 

in  working  out  the  pattern  raffia  or  rush  may  be 

used  as  spokes,  and   raffia  for  the  weaver.     The 

lower    part     of     the 

pattern     is    in    open 

work     twining ;     the 

upper     is    made    by 

splitting    each   spoke 

and  joining  the  right 

half  of  each  one  with 

the  left   half    of   the 

spoke     at    the    right 

of    it,    with    twining. 

The  succeeding  rows 


FIG.  40 


are  woven  in  the  same  way.     Rows  of  twining  are 


SOME    INDIAN    STITCHES 


173 


also  used  in  a  hexagonal  pattern  made  by  the 
Makah  Indians  (see  Fig.  42).  Bottles  are  often 
covered  with  this  weave.  The  bottom  is  started 
with  spokes  radiating  from  the  centre.  Those  in 
the  original  were  of  bast,  but  rush  or  raffia  may  be 
used.  Every  other  spoke  is  brought  diagonally  to 
the  right,  crossing 
over  the  next  one 
which  is  brought 
to  the  left.  After 
crossing,  the  spokes 
are  held  in  place  by 
a  row  of  twining. 
A  charming  wallet 
made  by  the  Nez 
Perce  Indians,  from 
the  bast  of  hemp, 
suggests  a  simple 
and  attractive  way 
of  making  a  flat  en- 
velope shaped  bas- 
ket for  photographs  or  postal  cards.  It  may  be 
woven  on  splints  with  sweet-grass,  or  even  on  flat 
rush  with  colored  raffia.  There  should  be  as  many 
spokes  as,  when  laid  side  by  side  close  together, 
will  make  the  width  desired.  They  should  be  cut 
twice  and  a  half  as  long  as  the  finished  basket  is 


FIG.  41 


174 


HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 


to  be.  After  wetting  the  spokes  until  they  are 
quite  pliable,  a  row  of  pairing  is  woven  joining 
them  together  in  the  middle.  The  ends  of  the 
spokes  are  then  brought  up  together,  and  by 
continuing  the  pairing  around  and  around  the 


basket  is  built  up.  The  edge  is  finished  as  some 
of  the  sweet-grass  baskets  are.  Every  other  spoke 
is  cut  short,  while  the  alternate  ones  are  left  about 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  above  the  weaving. 
These  are  then  thoroughly  wet,  and  bent  sharply 
down  inside  the  basket  over  a  piece  of  splint  which  is 
fitted  around  inside  the  rim  of  the  basket  with  its  ends 
overlapping.  A  second  piece  of  splint  covers  the 


SOME    INDIAN    STITCHES  1/5 

spokes  on  the  inside  and  on  the  outside  a  rope  of 
sweet-grass,  or  whatever  the  weaver  may  be,  is  laid 
around  in  the  same  way.  A  weaver  is  then  started 
on  the  inside  of  the  basket  close  to  the  edge  and 
sewed  over  and  over,  passing  between  two  spokes 
each  time,  and  binding  the  splint  on  the  inside  and  the 
rope  on  the  outside  close  together,  as  it  goes  under 
and  over  them.  A  cover  may  be  made  just  large 
enough  to  fit  over  the  basket  and  finished  in  the 
same  way.  On  such  a  basket,  woven  of  pale  green 
raffia,  bands  of  raffia  in  the  natural  color  are 
effective,  or  designs  may  be  embroidered  on  it  ex- 
ternally as  already  described. 

The  coiled  baskets  of  the  Apaches,  Pai  Utes, 
Navajo  and  Pimas  are  made  of  coiled  osiers,  or 
bundles  of  yucca  whipped  or  wound  with  split 
osier  or  splints  of  pine.  We  can  follow  the  stitch 
if  not  the  rigidity  and  strength  of  these  baskets 
by  using  single  coils  of  No.  5  round  rattan,  or 
bundles  made  up  of  three  or  more  strands  of  No.  2 
rattan,  coiled  and  wound  with  raffia.  The  rattan 
should  be  wet  until  pliable.  It  is  then  coiled  into 
the  smallest  possible  ring,  and  sewed  over  and  over 
with  a  strand  of  raffia  in  a  No.  19  tapestry  needle. 
Beginning  with  the  second  coil,  each  time  the  raffia 
is  wound  around  it  is  brought  through  the  stitch 
just  below  it  (see  Fig.  43).  Ornamental  bands  arc 


76 


HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 


FIG.  43 


sometimes  added  by  laying  a  colored  weaver  along 
and  catching  it  down  with  every  third  stitch  (see 
Fig.  44).  Another 
coiling  stitch  is  made 
by  bringing  the  weaver 
over  the  coil  which  has 
just  been  laid  along 
and  down  under  the 
coil  below,  locking 
into  the  stitch  be- 
neath that  lower  coil 
(see  Fig.  45).  A 
border  which  is  often  seen  on  coiled  baskets,  and 
which  looks  like  braiding  on  a  whip,  is  quite  simple 
to  make,  much  more  so 
than  one  would  think. 
A  single  weaver,  pref- 
erably of  splint,  is 
passed  under  the 
sewing  of  the  last 
coil,  then  drawn  over 
it  and  backward.  It 
is  next  brought  under 
again,  upward  and  for- 
ward, just  in  front  of 
the  point  where  it  started. 
ing  first  backward  and 


FIG.  44 

In  this  way,  by  sew- 
then    forward,  as    one 


COILED    BASKETS 


SOME    INDIAN    STITCHES 


177 


would  coil  a  kite  string, 
is  made  with  a  single 
weaver.  The  bird-cage 
stitch  of  the  Clallam 
and  Makah  Indians  is 
sometimes  woven  with 
an  open  mesh,  and 
sometimes  close  and  fine. 
In  copying  the  open- 
meshed  weave  shown 
in  Fig.  46,  No.  4  rattan 
may  be  used  for  the 
vertical  spokes,  No.  3  rattan 


the    braided    border 


FIG.  46 
weaver  are  more  uniform 


FIG.  45 

for  the  horizontal  coil 
and  raffia  for  th£ 
weaver.  The  hori< 
zontal  coil  is  laid  back 
of  the  vertical  spokes, 
and  a  single  weaver 
of  raffia  binds  the 
vertical  spokes  to  the 
coil  where  they  cross. 
The  rows  are  about 
a  quarter  of  an  inch 
apart.  In  the  close 
weave  the  spokes, 
horizontal  coil  and 

in  size.     No.  2  rattan 


178  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

may  be  used  for  the  spokes  and  coil,  and  raffia 
for  the  weaver.  The 
stitch  is  the  same 
except  that  the  rows 
are  brought  close  to- 
gether, and  as  the 
weaving  progresses  ; 
the  spokes,  being  quite 
pliable,  bend  forward 
in  the  direction  the 
FIG.  47  weaving  takes  ;  mak- 

ing an  unusual  and  attractive  surface  (see  Fig.  47). 


What  the   Basket   Means  to 
the   Indian 


CHAPTER  XV 

WHAT    THE    BASKET    MEANS    TO    THE    INDIAN 
BY    NELTJE   BLANCHAN 

NOT  through  a  written  literature,  not  through 
music,  architecture,  sculpture  or  painting,  as  we 
understand  the  fine  arts,  has  the  North  American 
Indian  yet  expressed  the  intellectual  and  spiritual 
aspirations  of  the  race ;  but  chiefly  through  the 
artistic  handicrafts  of  the  women. 

While  primitive  man,  of  all  races,  waged  war 
and  hunted,  of  necessity,  primitive  woman  was 
ever  the  constructive  element  in  society,  the  home- 
maker,  the  conserver  of  industry  and  thrift,  the 
manufacturer,  through  simple,  homely  processes, 
of  the  raw  products  of  nature  into  useful  and 
sometimes  beautiful  forms,  the  inventor  of  many 
crafts,  the  mother  of  the  arts,  the  nurse  of  religion. 
To  mention  only  one  of  her  contributions  to  civili- 
zation, there  is  the  textile  handicraft,  invented  by 
aboriginal  women  the  world  around  to  meet  the 
need  for  shelter,  clothing,  hats,  cradles,  fish  and 
snaring  nets,  mats  and  baskets  ;  and  so  thoroughly 
181 


1 82  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

did  they  master  the  intricacies  of  weaving,  that  not 
a  single  new  stitch  has  been  added  to  the  sum  of 
primitive  knowledge  by  the  most  skilled  modern 
craftsmen.  At  the  point  where  primitive  women 
left  off,  civilized  men,  at  a  comparatively  recent 
date,  were  able  to  take  the  work  from  their  hands, 
apply  machinery  to  it  and  convert  the  manufacture 
of  textiles  into  one  of  the  great  staples  of  com- 
merce for  the  world. 

Through  the  same  phases  of  development  all 
races  of  mankind  must  pass,  ethnology  teaches  us, 
and  today  our  Indian  woman  is  where  Egyptian, 
Roman,  Teuton,  Frank  and  Briton  women  once 
were  before  their  respective  races  attained  civiliza- 
tion and^ulture.  Like  the  Indian  weaver  in  the 
West  today,  where  civilization  has  not  yet  effaced 
her,  these  women  of  the  ancient  world  were  once 
the  weavers  for  their  people ;  references  to  their 
spinning,  weaving,  and  basketry  abound  in  early 
literatures,  and  examples  of  their  similar  work,  still 
extant  in  museums,  testify  to  the  sisterhood  of  the 
human  race.  Into  all  these  primitive  home-made 
articles,  beauty  slowly  found  greater  and  greater 
expression  in  form,  color  and  design ;  and  it  was 
often  wrought  out  through  materials  so  crude  and 
difficult  to  manipulate  as  to  make  one  wonder  that 
effort  to  transform  them  was  even  attempted 


WHAT    THE    BASKET    MEANS    TO    THE    INDIAN    183 

Civilized  man  has  yet  to  discover  a  use  for  the 
fretful  porcupine,  but  Indian  women  have  used  its 
quills  for  centuries  to  embroider  designs  on  house- 
hold articles  made  of  skin  and  bark.  The  Pimas 
and  Apaches,  living  in  the  alkali  desert  of  Arizona, 
utilize  the  "cat  claws,"  the  hard,  stiff,  black  seed 
vessels  of  one  of  the  few  plants  that  can  grow  on 
their  arid  reservations,  to  weave  the  Greek  key 
pattern,  the  mystical  Swastika  of  India  and  Egyp- 
tian-like geometric,  symbolic  designs  into  their 
wonderful  willow  baskets.  How  much  beauty 
would  you  and  I  attempt  to  put  into  our  cooking 
utensils  and  articles  of  commonest  household  use 
with  such  a  pitiful  poverty  of  material  ? 

With  a  more  scientific  appreciation  of  primitive 
woman's  contribution  to  modern  civilization  must 
come  a  sympathetic  interest  in  the  handicrafts  of 
our  Indian  woman,  whose  slow  steps  in  upward 
progress  we  may  even  now  behold  her  taking  for 
her  people.  We  may  see  the  early  industrial  his- 
tory of  our  own  race  repeating  itself  in  the  West- 
ern world. 

Chief  among  the  Indian's  handicrafts  is  bas- 
ketry :  the  most  expressive  vehicle  of  the  tribe's 
individuality,  the  embodiment  of  its  mythology  and 
folk-lore,  tradition,  history,  poetry,  art  and  spiritual 
aspiration — in  short,  it  is,  to  the  Indian  mind,  all 


184  HOW   TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

the  arts  in  one.  Moreover,  it  is  his  most  useful 
handicraft,  serving  him  from  the  cradle  to  the 
grave. 

In  a  deftly  woven  bassinet,  ornamented  with 
shells,  gay  feathers  or  bits  of  bright  cloth,  such  as 
any  baby  would  enjoy,  the  Indian  mother  ties  her 
papoose.  Hanging  the  cradle  from  a  sheltering 
tree  while  at  work  about  the  camp,  or  suspending 
it  from  her  strong  shoulders  when  she  must  wan- 
der afield,  she  allows  the  precious  contents  to 
interrupt  her  regular  labors  but  little.  Qlere,  as  in 
everything  she  makes,  is  the  simple,  perfect  adap- 
tation of  the  article  to  its  uses  which  gives  primi- 
tive handiwork  everywhere  so  great  an  interesfT"? 
It  is  only  after  we  attain  civilization  that  the 
meaningless  multiplication  of  the  unnecessaries 
begins. 

When  there  is  not  a  baby  on  her  back  the 
squaw  has  other  burdens  to  carry — wood  for  the 
camp-fire,  meat  from  the  hunt,  fish,  grain,  nuts, 
fruit  and  water ;  and,  again,  netted  twine  or  woven 
basket  serves  every  purpose.  One  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  expressive  designs  ever  made  by  an 
untutored  hand  was  wrought  out  in  a  large  bag  of 
netted  yucca  fibre  deliberately  manufactured  as  a 
wood  carrier  by  a  bronze  savage  girl  in  one  of  the 
out-of-the-way  corners  of  the  Southwest. 


KLIKITAT  AND  QUINAIELT  CARRYING  BASKETS 

(Oregon  and  Washington) 
Designs  represent   mountains,  streams,  rippling  waves  and  fertile  valleys, 

the  plumed  quail  abounds 
(Courtesy  of  The  A  merman  Museum  of  Natural  History,  Nen    Yfrf 


WHAT   THE   BASKET    MEANS    TO    THE    INDIAN    185 

The  shapes  of  carrying  baskets  differ  widely. 
Originally  both  food  and  water  were  doubtless  car- 
ried in  hollow  gourds  enclosed  in  netted  twine  to 
give  additional  strength,  and  a  stick  slipped 
through  the  meshes  made  their  transportation 
easy.  But  in  due  time  the  basket  evolved  from 
netting,  and  the  cone-shaped  carrying-baskets  made 
by  certain  Western  tribes  today  are  of  exceedingly 
beautiful  workmanship.  The  finely  woven  decora- 
tions represent  in  symbolic,  conventionalized  form 
those  familiar  natural  objects  so  dear  to  the  Indian 
heart — mountains,  lakes,  streams,  trees,  sea  waves 
or  water  fowl,  for  example — objects  with  which 
the  particular  tribe  has  closest  association.  These 
are  the  subjects  such  as  ever  stir  the  Indian 
artist's  imagination. 

How  can  water  be  carried  in  a  basket  ?  one  may 
well  ask.  Strangely  enough,  the  tribes  living  in 
the  arid  Southwest,  where  every  drop  of  water  is 
exceedingly  precious,  are  the  very  ones  which 
chiefly  trust  to  basket  water-carriers.  '  No  danger 
of  the  pitcher  breaking  at  an  Indian  well.  The 
Pai  Utes,  who  make  water-jars  for  their  own  use, 
and  to  barter  for  blankets  with  the  Navajo, 
weave  them  of  willow  strippings  and  coat  them 
with  gum  from  the  pinon  pine.  Manybaskets 
made  by  various  tribes  are  tightly  enough  woven, 


1 86  HOW    TO    MAKE   BASKETS 

however,  to  hold  water  even  without  a  gum  coat. 
The  bottom  of  the  wicker  water-bottle,  made  by 
the  Havasupais  in  Cataract  Canon,  Arizona,  tapers 
to  a  point,  which  the  Indian  sticks  into  the  ground 
to  prevent  the  bottle  from  overturning.  Handles 
of  braided  horsehair,  which  never  break,  confine 
the  leather  strap  by  which  the  squaw  suspends  the 
bottle  from  her  head  or  her  pony's  saddle.  Such 
bottles  may  be  made  to  contain  a  pint  or  several 
gallons  of  water. 

In  the  division  of  labor  among  primitive  people, 
at  least,  women  have  always  taken  charge  of  the 
family  larder.  For  collecting,  preparing,  cooking 
and  serving  food,  basketry  is  still  most  important 
to  the  Indian.  To  gather  the  nuts  under  the 
pinon  trees  in  the  Rocky  Mountain  region,  she 
fashions  a  spoon-shaped  wicker  scoop,  whose  bowl 
is  also  a  coarse  sieve  through  which  the  dirt  is 
shaken.  Huge  storage  baskets,  representing  tens 
of  thousands  of  stitches,  are  often  as  tall  as  a  man, 
as  symmetrical  as  a  Greek  vase,  and  they  are 
laboriously  ornamented  with  symbolic  designs 
which  convey  whole  volumes  of  meaning  to  mem- 
bers of  the  tribe.  The  White  Mountain  Apaches, 
among  others,  make  some  wonderful  household 
granaries.  Into  these  great  baskets  the  Indian 
housekeeper  pours  the  nuts,  acorns,  fruit,  maize, 


£  < 

s « 

II 


WHAT  THE  BASKET  MEANS  TO  THE  INDIAN       1 87 

and  other  grains  on  her  return  from  nature's  mar- 
ket in  the  woods  and  fields. 

Every  Indian  woman  is  her  own  miller.  Going 
to  a  favorite  rock,  hollowed  on  its  upper  surface  by 
much  grinding,  she  places  upon  it  a  bowl-shaped 
but  bottomless  basket  to  confine  the  portion  of 
grain  being  ground,  as  well  as  to  prevent  the  wind 
from  blowing  away  her  meal.  Through  the  hole 
in  the  bottom  of  the  basket  she  works  her  stone 
pestle  diligently  until  all  the  grain  is  ground  fine. 
Even  a  prosaic  basket  like  this  one  does  not  lack 
its  appropriate,  poetic  symbols.  A  wicker  win- 
nower, to  separate  the  grain  from  the  chaff,  is 
usually  shaped  like  a  large  scallop  shell,  suggesting 
its  probable  derivation  before  the  Indians  were 
driven  backward  from  the  coast  into  the  interior. 
A  basket  through  which  to  sift  the  finer  flour  is  a 
necessary  utensil  in  every  well-regulated  Indian 
household.  Today  Chinese  merchants  still  sift 
tea  through  basket  trays. 

The  slightly  hollowed  basket  plaque,  which  is 
one  of  the  commonest  and  most  widely  distributed 
shapes,  may  be  used  as  a  meal  tray  in  the  pueblo 
home,  or,  heaped  with  propitiatory  gifts  to  appease 
the  wrath  of  an  angry  god,  may  adorn  the  village 
altar ;  again  it  is  seen  in  use  among  the  gamblers, 
who  toss  their  dice  upon  it ;  at  ceremonial  dances 


1 88  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

of  several  tribes  it  is  most  important ;  the  Navajo 
wedding  feast  cannot  be  eaten  from  any  other 
dish;  and  when  an  Indian  dies,  members  of  the 
family  reverently  place  food  in  basket  plaques  on 
the  ground  around  his  grave,  that  his  spirit  may 
refresh  itself  on  its  visits  to  earth.  Because  of 
the  number  of  tribes  using  the  plaque,  and  the 
great  variety  of  uses  to  which  it  is  put,  no  form  of 
Indian  basket  shows  more  varied  weaves  and  wider 
range  of  decorative  design. 

To  interpret  Indian  symbols  without  the  help  of 
the  squaw  who  worked  them  out  of  her  own  inner 
consciousness,  to  get  at  the  thought  of  the  indi- 
vidual weaver,  taking  into  due  consideration  the 
mental  idiosyncrasies  of  her  tribe,  as  one  must  do 
before  the  decoration  can  be  rightly  understood,  is 
an  exceedingly  difficult  task  which  the  enthusiast 
with  a  lively  imagination  would  better  leave  to  the 
scientific  investigator.  But  no  student  of  races,  of 
the  evolution  of  art,  of  folk-lore  or  of  comparative 
religions,  can  afford  to  neglect  the  Indian  basket. 
And  the  study  cannot  begin  too  soon,  for  basketry 
has  either  deteriorated  sadly  wherever  the  white 
people's  civilization  has  penetrated,  or  it  has  totally 
disappeared.  In  one  small  collection  of  meal 
plaques  alone  are  found  three  whose  decorations 
tell  of  the  creation  of  the  world  according  to  the 


WHAT  THE  BASKET  MEANS  TO  THE  INDIAN      189 

legends  of  as  many  tribes ;  another  plaque  shows 
four  streams  flowing  in  regular,  beautiful  lines  from 
a  lake  in  the  centre  to  the  edge;  a  Hopi,  yucca 
plaque,  with  unfinished  end,  reveals  the  age  of  the 
girl  who  wove  it ;  a  spider-web  design  wrought  into 
another,  is  a  prayer  for  rain  to  the  spirit  which 
presides  over  the  gossamer  clouds  that  bring  it  to 
the  suffering  people  in  the  desert ;  a  circle  set  with 
small  stars  represents  the  constellation  Corona ;  a 
star  which  radiates  toward  every  point  of  the  com- 
pass may  be  read  as  a  petition  for  favorable  winds 
while  the  crops  are  growing,  and  yet,  to  another 
tribe,  the  same  design  may  have  a  totally  different 
significance.  But  every  line  on  an  Indian  basket 
is  eloquent  with  meaning  if  we  could  but  interpret 
it — that  is  what  makes  the  study  of  basketry  so 
interesting  to  the  collector  and  so  important  to  the 
scientist.  A  pattern  which  looks  like  a  flash  of 
lightning  to  desert  Indians,  whose  every  thought  is 
directed  toward  signs  of  rain,  may  mean  a  moun- 
tain stream  to  a  tribe  living  among  the  Sierras,  or, 
again,  it  may  be  intended  to  represent  the  incoming 
tide  to  Indians  with  homes  near  the  sea.  Still 
another  grain  plaque  in  this  small  collection,  has 
for  its  border  the  rattlesnake's  markings  conven- 
tionalized, and  it  is  a  prayer  laboriously  and  fer- 
vently expressed,  asking  for  protection  of  the 


IQO  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

weaver's  loved  ones  from  the  deadly  rattler.  This 
design,  with  various  modifications  which  include 
the  St.  Andrew's  cross,  is  especially  common 
among  the  Indians  in  Northern  California  and 
Alaska,  whose  exquisite  basketry,  rich  in  symbol- 
ism, is  not  surpassed  by  any  people  in  the  world. 

The  acorn  is  a  staple  article  of  food  among 
several  tribes,  but  before  it  is  fit  for  the  human 
stomach  it  must  first  be  boiled.  How  is  the  In- 
dian, who  has  no  pottery  and  who  never  saw  an 
iron  kettle,  to  boil  her  food?  In  California  there 
are  still  to  be  seen  a  few  squaws  cooking  in  water- 
tight baskets  after  the  primitive  method  of  their 
ancestors.  Stones  heated  at  a  neighboring  fire  are 
tossed  into  the  water  until  it  is  brought  to  the  boil- 
ing point,  and  there  it  is  kept  by  the  addition  of 
more  hot  stones  until  the  acorns  are  cooked.  Now 
all  the  bitterness  is  gone,  and  when  dry  again  they 
are  ready  to  be  pounded  into  meal.  The  cooking 
basket  of  the  Hoopa  Valley  Indians,  for  example, 
is  a  thing  of  beauty,  with  mountain  peaks  and 
flowing  streams  on  its  shapely  sides.  How  repul- 
sively ugly  are  the  civilized  cook's  machine-made 
kitchen  utensils  compared  with  these  hand-wrought 
vessels  in  which  the  Indian  woman  delights  I 
With  genuine  artistic  feeling  she  fashions  her 
kettle  from  shreds  of  the  red  bud,  mountain 


WHAT  THE  BASKET  MEANS  TO  THE  INDIAN       IQI 

grasses,  colored  with  natural  dyes,  and  stems  of 
the  maiden  hair  fern,  the  whole  often  representing 
weeks  of  work. 

Ages  before  people  had  pottery  to  cook  in  they 
had  basketry,  which  is,  indeed,  the  oldest  and  the 
most  universally  practised  handicraft  known.  Per- 
haps a  hunter  returned  home  hungry  one  day  in 
the  far  away  past,  and  his  wife,  anxious  to  hasten 
dinner  for  her  impatient  lord,  coated  her  cooking 
basket  with  clay  that  she  might  set  it  directly  over 
the  fire  without  danger  of  burning.  Imagine  the 
woman's  surprise  and  joy  to  find  on  removing  it 
from  the  embers  after  dinner  that  she  had  a  basket 
plus  an  earthenware  pot !  Thus  directly  from 
basketry  was  pottery  evolved.  One  finds  the  same 
shaped  vessels  of  clay  as  of  wicker  work  among  the 
Zuni  and  other  potters,  and  the  same  decorations 
in  many  instances  on  both.  Moreover  the  Hava- 
supai  still  use  clay-lined  basket-plaques  to  hold 
glowing  wood  embers  and  kernels  of  corn,  which 
are  kept  dancing  together  by  the  dexterous  cook 
until  the  corn  is  parched ;  meanwhile  the  clay 
hardens.  Numbers  of  good  cooking  utensils  are 
thus  produced 

Far  to  the  North,  where  the  cedar  tree  furnishes 
the  wretched  natives  with  practically  every  comfort 
they  have,  wooden  cooking  boxes,  fashioned  from 


IQ2  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

its  trunk,  hold  the  water  into  which  hot  stones  are 
tossed  when  fish  or  blubber  is  to  be  boiled.  Cloth- 
ing is  woven  from  shredded  cedar  bark  and  mats 
for  the  weaver  to  sit  upon.  But  even  in  this  desolate, 
poor  land,  an  earnest  striving  after  some  expression 
of  beauty  is  seen.  In  the  most  remote  islands  in 
the  Aleutian  chain,  the  Indian  woman,  unrewarded 
by  applause  or  hope  of  gain,  weaves  exquisitely  fine, 
dainty  treasure  baskets,  being  impelled  by  impulses 
as  natural  as  those  of  a  bird  whose  weaving  is 
scarcely  less  amazing.  The  longer  %  hardest  jour- 
ney is  not  too  wearisome  to  deter  a  squaw  from 
going  to  collect  rare  roots  and  grasses  or  dyeing 
material ;  a  lifetime  is  not  too  long  to  perfect  her- 
self in  the  handicraft  bequeathed  to  her  as  a  tribal 
trust  from  former  generations.  When  vegetable 
fibres  ~seem  inadequate  for  all  the  beauty  she  fain 
would  express,  the  Poma  weaver  in  California,  adds 
rare  feathers,  wampum,  alabone,  and  sometimes  bits 
of  silver,  although  the  finished  marvel  is  destined 
for  the  bonfire  in  the  death  dance  ceremonial.  One 
of  these  exceedingly  fine  Poma  feather  baskets, 
which  is  always  as  valuable  as  a  pony,  was  recently 
sold  to  a  museum  for  eight  hundred  dollars.  "  Dat- 
so-la-lee,"  a  Washoe  weaver  whose  skill  is  probably 
unrivaled  in  any  land,  has  recently  made  an  in- 
tricate basket  that  was  sold  for  eighteen  hundred 


RARE  POMA  CEREMONIAL  BASKET— Adorned  with  plumes  of  valley  quail, 
wampum,  shell,  and  feathers  from  the  woodpecker's  crown.  MONO  JAR. 
ALASKAN  TREASURE  BASKET-With  snake  rattles  in  cover.  TWO 
ALASKAN  CARRYING  BASKETS.  A  SQUAW  CAP— The  design  woven 
with  stems  of  maiden-hair  ferns.  COOKING  BASKET-Used  by  the  Hupij 
Indians,  California. 


WHAT  THE  BASKET  MEANS  TO  THE  INDIAN      1 93 

dollars  to  a  private  collector,  and  he  possesses  a 
masterpiece  of  art  as  truly  as  the  connoisseur  who 
invests  thrice  that  sum  in  a  piece  of  bronze  or  a 
painting.  If  the  Indian  woman  reaped  the  profit 
of  her  toil,  and  not  the  frontier  trader  (who  is  a 
shark  in  far  too  many  instances),  there  might  be 
greater  hope  of  preserving  the  native  industries. 
As  it  is,  they  are  perilously  near  becoming  among 
the  lost  arts. 

It  would  be  interesting,  if  space  permitted,  to 
trace  the  influence  of  basketry  on  design  in  general, 
to  show  the  necessary  adoption  of  straight  lines, 
geometric  patterns,  through  the  exigencies  of 
wicker  weaving.  The  Indian  imitates  what  she 
sees  about  her ;  she  is  a  silent,  profound  student  of 
nature  which  she  strives  to  copy ;  but  in  order  that 
natural  objects  may  come  within  the  limitations  of 
basketry — the  principal  medium  of  expression — 
every  object  has  to  be  conventionalized,  its  form 
modified.  The  square-shouldered  human  figures, 
the  angular  beasts  and  birds  depicted  by  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  are  not  very  different  from  the  Indian's 
attempts  to  reproduce  these  same  forms  on  ceremo- 
nial dance  baskets,  granaries,  and  plaques,  with 
uncompromising  willow  and  grasses.  Given  more 
plastic  material  through  which  to  express  art  ideals, 
the  Indian  potter  evolved  graceful  serous  and 


194  HOW    TO    MAKE    BASKETS 

curves  from  the  almost  universal  design  known  as 
th3  Greek  meander  or  rectilinear  fret  and  its  vari- 
ants, which  have  been  favorite  themes  with  our 
Indians  from  time  immemorial. 

The  Indian  is  essentially  artistic,  not  musical, 
like  the  African  negro,  and  not  literary,  however 
masterful  in  the  use  of  words  in  oratory.  There  is 
every  reason  to  believe  that  our  national  art  will 
receive  new  direction,  a  fresh  impulse,  from 
educated  Indian  Americans. 

The  poor  Indian, 

"  whose  untutored  mind 
Sees  God  in  clouds  and  hears  Him  in  the  wind," 

has  recorded  a  wealth  of  such  spiritual  visions  in 
her  baskets  alone :  scarcely  one  of  them  that  does 
not  contain  a  prayer.  To  how  much  of  the  handi- 
work of  modern  civilized  women,  tutored  or  un- 
tutored, could  equal  praise  be  given  ? 


'BTObosrar 


tRr  c 


"ARY, 

'-ES,  CALIF. 


